A wind-induced snow redistribution study considering contact based on a coupling model of wind and discrete snow particles

Bin Wang, Shengran Hao, Shu Liu, Duote Liu, Yongle Li and Haicui Wang

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical simulation method for snow drift that takes into account the cohesion effect of snow particles. The critical state of free collapse accumulation of idealized snow particles is used to indirectly infer the effect of interparticle interactions on snow transport and re-accumulation. With the help of the Hertz-Mindlin with JKR cohesion contact model, the particle angle of repose is calibrated with a number of contact parameters through numerical experiment. The surface energy for a given property of snow particles is determined using the observed snow angle of repose, and a continuous-discrete snow drift two-way coupled numerical model incorporating these optimized contact parameters is developed. The snow redistribution pattern on a stepped flat roof structure is simulated, and the results are found to be consistent with those of the field measured in terms of phenomena and general laws, verifying the achievability and effectiveness of the presented method. To eliminate the influence of environmental conditions, wind tunnel tests are also conducted, and it is found that the reconstructed depth and reaccumulated angle of snowdrift resulting from the numerical simulation are in closer agreement with the experimental results, further confirming the enhancement achieved by introducing the contact effect.

Key Words

contact effect; coupling model; Eulerian-Lagrangian framework; numerical simulation; snow drift; surface energy

Address

Bin Wang:1)1Department of Bridge Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China 2)Wind engineering key laboratory of Sichuan province, Chengdu 610031, China 3)National Key Laboratory of Bridge Intelligent and Green Construction, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China Shengran Hao:1)1Department of Bridge Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China 2)Wind engineering key laboratory of Sichuan province, Chengdu 610031, China 3)National Key Laboratory of Bridge Intelligent and Green Construction, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China Shu Liu:1)1Department of Bridge Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China 2)Wind engineering key laboratory of Sichuan province, Chengdu 610031, China 3)National Key Laboratory of Bridge Intelligent and Green Construction, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China Duote Liu:School of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China Yongle Li:1)1Department of Bridge Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China 2)Wind engineering key laboratory of Sichuan province, Chengdu 610031, China 3)National Key Laboratory of Bridge Intelligent and Green Construction, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, China Haicui Wang:Faculty of Construction and Environment, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China

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