Wind effects on snow drifts around two-dimensional fence

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relation between snow accumulation and wind flow by wind tunnel tests, snow wind tunnel tests and field measurements. This paper investigates snow accumulation and wind flow around a two-dimensional type fence with opening at the bottom. First, the snow accumulation around the fence was measured in a snow wind tunnel. Then the wind flow around the models which simulated the snow accumulation around the fence, was measured in detail by means of a triple-split probe anemometer in a boundary layer wind tunnel. The test results yielded the snow accumulation patterns around the fence with duration of snowfall and clarified the relationship between the snow accumulation patterns and vortices formed front and behind the fence. The results were verified by field measurements of the full-scale model.