CFD simulations of eolian snow transport for civil engineering applications.

The result of this Fortissimo experiment is a demonstration of simulations allow the assessment of snow loads on the rooftops of buildings using cloud-based HPC and open-source software (snowFoam). Roof collapses due to accumulated and drifting snow are responsible for losses in the order of hundreds of millions of Euros as well as bodily injuries and loss of lives every year in Northern Europe in particular, and the Northern hemisphere in general. The simulations to be undertaken in this experiment can help identify rooftop areas that are prone to increased snow loads and provide the corresponding snow loads. Such analysis can help civil engineers design rooftop structures in perspective and avoid potentially catastrophic events. Additionally, simulations of drifting snow can help design protective barriers and fences for roads and highways that help prevent or mitigate drifting snow and reduce its disruptive impact on transportation. The use of snowFoam on an HPC system allows engineers to design their rooftops for all applicable snow types and roof configurations. The downstream savings as compared to rooftop collapse and the potential for bodily injury, loss of lives, downtime of industrial operations and insurance and compensation costs is orders of magnitude larger than the analysis and computational cost that is typically €10,000-€50,000. Moreover, the analysis of drifting snow can be completed within a few weeks to a couple of months. These reasons make the use of snowFoam highly advantageous for engineering firms which are the principal users of accurate simulations of drifting snow