Snow Drift Simulation for Ice-Shell Architecture: A Performance-Oriented Design Tool

Introduction

Ice-shell architecture in cold regions faces significant challenges related to snow accumulation, radiation exposure, and long-term weatherability. While snow distribution data is critical for optimizing architectural performance, current design practices lack effective tools for predicting snow drift during early design stages. This study addresses this gap by proposing a computational snow drift simulation method tailored to ice-shell architecture, enabling architects to integrate environmental performance considerations into early-stage design decision-making.

Limitations of Existing Snow Drift Prediction Methods

Traditional snow drift simulation techniques are often complex, computationally demanding, and inaccessible to architects during conceptual design phases. These limitations restrict their application primarily to engineering validation rather than design exploration. This section discusses the technological and methodological gaps in existing approaches, highlighting the need for a simplified, design-oriented simulation workflow suitable for architectural applications in cold climates.

Proposed Simulation Method Using Butterfly and OpenFOAM

The study introduces a snow drift simulation method that leverages the Butterfly plugin to interface with the OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver. This integration allows for accurate modeling of snow–wind interactions on ice-shell structures within a parametric design environment. This topic explains the methodological framework, focusing on how the coupling of architectural geometry with CFD simulation enables efficient and reliable snow drift prediction.

Development and Validation of the Snow Drift Simulation Tool

Based on the proposed method, a dedicated snow drift simulation tool was developed and validated through three ice-shell architectural case studies. Validation results provide practical guidance on mesh resolution and time-step selection for typical simulations. This section evaluates the tool’s performance, demonstrating its accuracy, robustness, and suitability for early-stage architectural design workflows.

Feature-Based Analysis of Ice-Shell Weatherability

Using simulation outputs, the study analyzes how specific architectural features—such as surface texture, plane configuration, and orientation—affect snow distribution and weatherability. Particular attention is given to the coupling optimization of snow accumulation and solar radiation exposure. This topic reveals how design features directly influence environmental performance, offering actionable insights for ice-shell optimization.

Implications for Cold-Region Architectural Design

The results demonstrate that the proposed tool effectively simplifies snow drift simulation while extending its applicability to a broader range of cold-region buildings. Notably, feature analysis indicates that ribbed surface textures more effectively block solar radiation through controlled snow distribution. This final section discusses the broader implications for climate-responsive architectural design, positioning the tool as a valuable resource for integrating environmental simulation into sustainable cold-region architecture.

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