Numerical simulation of air flow with different roof configurations for the prediction of snow accumulation

Abstract

Applying Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique, numerical investigationshave been carried out to simulate wind flow conditions on various roof configurations. Usingthe computed mean wind flow field, the snow-drift distributions on these roof configurationsare calculated. This study demonstrates that the CFD technique can be effectively applied inthe earty stage of the design process as a predictive tool for forecasting snow accumulationon various roof configurations. Efforts are also made to quantify the validity of modelpredictions through comparisons with field observation and wind tunnel data.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye