The ice accretion load in Canadian structural design codes is developed based on an operational ice accretion prediction model. In the present study, three models are employed to predict the ice accretion amount on a flat surface and horizontal wire at Canadian sites. The results confirm that the model used by Canadian practice for predicting ice accretion leads to a conservative estimate as compared to the remaining two models. The results also indicate that the use of the Gumbel distribution for the annual maximum ice accretion is adequate for regions prone to ice accretion and that the lognormal distribution may be considered for regions with a moderate or negligible amount of ice accretion. Maps of the ice accretion hazard at five selected Canadian sites are developed. Statistical analysis of an equivalent wind speed that is concurrent with the iced wire is carried out, showing that the concurrent wind speed for the 50-year return period value of the annual maximum ice accretion amount is smaller than the 50-year return period value of the annual maximum wind speed. It is shown that the statistical characteristics of the annual maximum concurrent wind speed on iced wire differ from that of the annual maximum wind speed.
The roof snow load in the National Building Code of Canada is expressed as the sum of the snow and rain components. A probabilistic analysis of the components was carried out by using the recorded historical meteorological data. Probabilistic characterizations of the annual maximum ground snow depth S<sub>A</sub>, ground snow load S<sub>L</sub>, and snowpack bulk density were given. By considering the commonly adopted probabilistic models for S<sub>A</sub>, it was found that the use of the lognormal, Gumbel and generalized extreme value distributions for S<sub>A</sub> are preferred for 46%, 35%, and 19% of the considered meteorological stations. A similar observation was made for S<sub>L</sub>. Snow hazard maps in terms of return period values of S<sub>A</sub> and S<sub>L</sub> were developed. Also, the hazard maps of (winter) rain load, S<sub>R</sub>, were developed. It was found that the correlation coefficient between S<sub>A</sub> and S<sub>R</sub> is negligible; the implication of this is discussed.
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