Investigating the Effect of Snow Barrier Railings on Snow Accumulation Patterns on Gable Roofs

In this study, an analysis of wind-induced snow accumulation on a gable roof fitted with snow barrier railings is conducted using a one-way coupling method for wind and snow, alongside the k − kl − ω turbulence model. User-defined functions in ANSYS FLUENT (version 2020 R1) were used to implement the inflow boundary conditions, including wind profiles, turbulence energy, and snow phase volume fractions. The feasibility of the simulation method was verified through field measurements and numerical simulations of snow distribution characteristics on stepped flat roofs. Employing this validated method, this study simulated snow accumulation on gable roofs equipped with snow barrier railings and conducted an in-depth analysis of snow accumulation characteristics under varying installation angles of the snow barrier railings and wind direction angles. Comparative analyses revealed that at a 45° laying angle, the maximum erosion coefficient reached 0.5 within the X/H range of −3.6 to −3.4, while the minimum sedimentation coefficient of 1.03 was observed in the X/H range of −3.3 to −2.6. Notably, when the wind direction angle was 90°, the wind pressure coefficient on the windward side of the roof exhibited a relatively high value of −0.8, and it progressively diminished in a stepped fashion as it moved toward the leeward side, ultimately reaching a value of −0.1. The sedimentation area was maximized, covering 32.5% of the gable roof’s surface. Considering the snow-blocking effect and the uneven distribution of snow on roofs, the most effective snow-blocking performance was achieved with the snow barrier railings set at a 45° angle, while a wind angle of 90° was considered the most unfavorable wind angle condition.