A comparison of two avalanche-models with exemplary avalanches of Tyrol and Switzerland and the effects to hazard zoning

For the purposes of a thesis at the Institute of avalanche and torrent control at the university of agriculture in Vienna a comparison of two avalanche-models, a hydraulic one from Voellmy/Salm/Gubler and a statistical one from Laatsch/Zenke/Dankerl with exemplary exactly known avalanches of Tyrol and Switzerland was started in 1993. The result of this work was that both models failed by the calculation of avalanches with high recurrence intervals (over 300 years). For the calculation of avalanches with recurrence intervals under 300 years the results of both models are regular. The conclusion is that a combination of two models i.e. a hydraulic one improved by statistical calculations will be the best.