Numerical simulation of time-varying characteristics of snow accumulation on an arched roof under steady snowfall conditions

A blizzard can last for a long time. Investigating the distribution of snow on roofs helps to reduce the occurrence of snow-induced engineering disasters. Previous studies have paid little attention to the time-varying characteristics of uneven snow distribution on roofs. In order to enhance the understanding of snow distribution on roofs and predict the uneven snow cover more accurately, a method based on the Mixture model considering the evolution of the snowpack profile is proposed. The validation of this research method showed that the numerical simulation agreed well with the experimental results. The method was applied to investigate the accumulation process of snow particles on an arched roof by analyzing the relationship between the deposition and erosion of snow particles and the local bottom surface profile. The wind tunnel test, numerical simulation, and theoretical analysis indicated that under steady snowfall conditions, the snow depth does not increase indefinitely when there is partial snow cover on roof. Finally, the macro mechanism of snowpack evolution was proposed, revealing that the deposition and erosion of snow particles are processes through which the snowpack profile gradually adapts to the wind-snow flow field.