Experimental study of snow load distribution on a shell of the Grand Sports Arena of Luzhniki Olympic Complex

Introduction. The mechanism of the formation of snow deposits on the shell of the Luzhniki GSA and their redistribution in winter were established on the basis of the data obtained during the monitoring of the snow load for over 20 years.

Aim. In this article, the mechanism of the formation of snow deposits and their distribution on the shell of the Luzhniki GSA were determined, along with the numerical values of the form factor μ characterizing the transition from the ground snow load to the snow load on the shell.

Materials and methods. The measurements of the load and density of snow deposits on the shell of the Luzhniki GSA were carried out from 1998 to 2019. The obtained results were compared with the parallel measurements of ground snow load (GSL) in Luzhniki. In addition, the snow load, as well as statistical data analysis on the maximum annual values of the GSL, were analyzed using the hydrometeorological data of decadic snow surveys in Moscow, performed by the V.A. Mikhelson Meteorological Observatory following the dates of field measurements. The graphs of the repeatability of wind directions for the month preceding the observation dates were plotted.

Results. The maximum values of the form factor μ for each section of the shell were obtained. The areas characterized by increased snow deposition on the shell during various periods of snow accumulation andthe dependence of their formation on wind speeds and directions in winter were revealed. Graphs depicting the distribution of snow load on the surface by observation years were plotted. It was established that the values of snow loads on the GSA shell during the observation period generally lay within the design values, except for local zones near the internal contour during the installation of the canopy.

Conclusion. It was shown that the formation, accumulation, and redistribution of snow deposits on the shell comprise a complex and uneven process, varying from winter to winter. When selecting the analytical models of snow loads for calculating unique load-bearing structures, it is necessary to account for the most unfavorable wind flow directions, at which an uneven snow deposition pattern occurs, as well as the physical properties of the shell and field observations.

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