A consideration of possible expressions for the number and size of bonds intersected by a potential failure surface leads to the following expression for the strength of snow, σf, which is age-hardening at a constant porosity n:
where σi is the strength of ice, tf is the time at failure, α is a parameter specifically related to the mechanism of bonding, and ω is a temperature-dependent parameter. Allowing tf to become infinite provides the envelope of maximum strength for fully age-hardened snow at any porosity n.