Numerical Modelling of Snow Loads. Features and Future of the Methodology

Abstract

The development of a methodology for numerical modelling of snow loads is one of the most important tasks of the civil engineering industry today. Analysis of the building codes and regulations shows that limited sets of roof types and distributions of the shape coefficient μ are not sufficient for correct determination of snow load, especially for large-span and unique buildings and structures. The physical modelling methods used in practice also have a number of significant drawbacks. At the same time, the modern capabilities of CFD software and a large number of mathematical models of snow accumulation allows modelling snow loads numerically. Thus, the methodology presented in this paper allows calculating the snow load on the roofs of buildings and structures using steady and transient flows. Transient modelling makes it possible to observe the local growth of snow cover layer in time, but is very resource-intensive when calculating the snow load on the whole roof. These disadvantages are solved using steady flow, for which the equations of the snow accumulation model are solved for “large” times. The obtained snow deposition in combination with the building codes guidelines allow deriving the design shape coefficient μ for all roof zones. On the basis of the developed methodology on the basis of the A.B. Zolotov Research and Engineering Centre and the UNPL AAISC of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering a unified, complex methodology of snow load modelling is being developed, which combines the advantages of physical and numerical modelling. The “synthesis” of the two approaches allows studying the process of snow accumulation on the roofs of buildings and structures in the most comprehensive and versatile way.