University of Pisa

Department of Structural Engineering

 

 

EUROPEAN SNOW LOAD RESEARCH PROJECT 1996  - 1999

 

The European Snow Loads Research Programme was carried out under contracts to the European Commission DG III – D3 in the period 1996-1999.

 

The main scope of the research programme was “providing the scientific basis for harmonised definition of models for determining the actions of snow applied to the structural parts of construction works”.

 

The research group, co-ordinated by Prof. Sanpaolesi - University of Pisa (IT), comprised 16 researchers from the following institutions:

 

1.     building research establishment ltd, construction division (united kingdom)

2.     cstb, centre de recherche de nantes (france)

3.     ecole polytechnique fédérale de lausanne, (switzerland)

4.     ismes structure engineering department (italy)

5.     joint research centre, isis (eu)

6.     sintef, civil and environmental engineering (norway)

7.     university of leipzig, institute of concrete design (germany)

8.     university of pisa, department of structural engineering ( italy)

 

The research work was divided into two consecutive phases. Each phase dealt with two specific items and technical co-ordination of the research activity for each item was carried out by a member of the research group:

 

Phase I

task Ia: “Development of models for the determination of snow loads on the ground”    

Co-ordinator Dr. Gränzer (University of Leipzig - DE);

 

task Ib: “Development of models for exceptional snow loads”

             Co-ordinator Mr. Sims (BRE- UK);

 

Phase II

task IIc: “Definition of criteria to be adopted for serviceability loads”

Co-ordinator Prof. Holand (SINTEF - N);

 

task IId: “Analytical study for the definition of shape coefficients”       

Co-ordinator Mr. Stiefel (EPFL - CH);

 

The deliverables of the research work are the following two final reports and their relative annexes.

 

 

 

Final report I

 

*                  Final report I

*                  Annexes 1 to 5

*                  Annex 6

*                  Annex 7

 

 

 

Final report II

 

*                  Final report II

*                  Annexes 1 to 13

*                  Annex B

 
 

 

The final reports, and specifically the European snow maps, are quoted in the Eurocode 1 - Actions on structures - Part 1-3: General actions - Snow loads, Annex C “European Ground Snow Load Maps” clause C(1):

 

“(1) This Annex presents the European snow maps which are the result of scientific work carried out under contract to DGIII/D-3(1) of the European Commission, by a specifically formed research Group

 

Note 1: Results are included in the following documents, both of them are available at the Commission of the European Communities DG III - D-3 Industry, Rue de la Loi, 200 B - 1049 Brussels, or at the Università degli Studi di Pisa Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale, Via Diotisalvi, 2, 56100 Pisa (IT).

 

1. Phase 1 Final Report to the European Commission, Scientific Support Activity in the Field of Structural Stability of Civil Engineering Works: Snow Loads, Department of Structural Engineering, University of Pisa, March 1998.

 

2. Phase 2 Final Report to the European Commission, Scientific Support Activity in the Field of Structural Stability of Civil Engineering Works: Snow Loads, Department of Structural Engineering, University of Pisa, September 1999.”

 

 

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