Abstract
Unbalanced, or non-uniform, snow loads caused by snow drifting or sliding in cold regions with heavy snowfalls, can be a serious problem for the building industry. However, the methods for predicting snow distribution still need to be improved. Field observation is the most direct and reliable method to study snow distribution, but because the natural environment is uncontrollable and varies dramatically, sometimes conclusions may be confused under the influence of the many variables in the investigation. This paper proposes a snowing experiment approach using an outdoor snow–wind combined experiment facility for the study of snow distribution. The facility can produce a stable and controllable wind field and snowfall environment. Experiments which focused on snowdrift around a building were conducted during the winter to make an evaluation of the repeatability and reliability of the new approach. Finally, from the analysis of results, it was demonstrated that the experimental facility was stable and that the similarity criterion adopted for the snowing pattern was reliable. Especially, the minimum value of the friction speed ratio was suggested to ensure the test accuracy.
Highlights
Since ancient times, buildings have been constructed to protect people from the natural environment
If just focusing on the overall distribution shape of the snowdrift, it seemed that the result when the scale was 1/10 was more similar to the field observation and the main erosion areas were larger than field observations for the other scale experiments
When the scale was 1/4 and 1/10, the results gave a lower estimate of the snow accumulation, but for the snow distribution away from the leeward side, the results showed better agreement with the field observation both in value and shape
Summary
Buildings have been constructed to protect people from the natural environment. The power station is the 3 × 2 fan-matrix, and the area affected by the model during a snowdrift. The power station is the 3 × 2 fan-matrix, and the area affected by the model during a snowdrift is thought to be about three times larger than the characteristic length of the model [27]. Considering the fact that there are the cross-section of the facility was designed to be 4.5 × 3.0 m2. Considering the fact that there are usually light winds when it is snowing, the facility was designed to be able to produce a stable wind usually light winds when it is snowing, the facility was designed to be able to produce a stable wind field for a specific duration with a range of speeds from 0.5 to 11.5 m/s. Wind pressure is the main field for a specific duration with a range of speeds from 0.5 to 11.5 m/s. Wind pressure is the main indicator of the output of the fan-matrix and is defined as indicator of the output of the fan-matrix and is defined as ρρkU kU00 2 , P
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