Field Measurements on Snowdrift on Two-level Flat Roof Model

Abstract

SYNOPSIS When estimating snow accumulation on a building roof in a heavy-snowfall district, for structural and architectural planning, it is important to know its volume and drift. The snowdrift on and around buildings is usually investigated by snow wind tunnel tests. However, some of the similarity law has not yet been clarified. Then it is not easy to conduct such tests. To clarify the similarity law of snow wind tunnel tests, it is necessary to investigate the relationship between the wind property and snowdrift. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between snowdrift on a building model and wind flow around it by a field observation. In the observation, two pieces of two-level flat roof building models were installed in the athletic field in Hokkaido, and snowdrift distribution, wind direction, wind velocity and temperature were measured every day for two winters. As the result, the property of the snowdrift patterns by wind direction and wind velocity was investigated.