Project:

The Proposed Combined Colony

for Kiru & Kwar HE Projects.

Report on snow load calculation

Designed by – Engineer Lakshmi Narayan

 Contents

Coordinates of Kishtwar...............................................................................................2
Calculation – 1..............................................................................................................2
Characteristic Ground Snow Load Data...................................................................2
Calculation – 2 :............................................................................................................4
Conclusion....................................................................................................................5

1
Coordinates of Kishtwar
The positional coordinates of Kishtwar district includes a longitude of 75.7667 and
latitude of 33.3167.

Calculation – 1 :

Characteristic Ground Snow Load Data

The ground Snow Load Map for Himalaya region has been provided by the Snow
and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) of the Defense Research Development
Organisation.(DRDO) ,Ministry of Defense ,Government of India.

As per the existing Indian Standard [IS: 875 (Part 4) - 1987] code of practice for
design loads for buildings and structures, the minimum design snow load on a roof
area is computed as a function of characteristic ground snow load and shape
coefficient.

The contour map with Latitude/Longitude gives the values of Characteristic Ground
snow load in terms of KPa ( KN/m²) is available in https://drdo.gov.in/labs-and-
establishments/snow-avalanche-study-estt-sase .

The screen shot of the same is as below –

2
The enlarged image with markings at positional co-ordinates of Kishtwar (33/ 75)

Is marked to know the characteristic snow load value(s o) .

Thus from the above contour for the Latitide 33 / Longitude 75 ,

The characteristic Snow load value So is considered as 4 kPa.

Shape coefficient = μ = 0.8

S = Design snow load in Pa on plan area of roof

= μ x characteristic Snow load value So
= 0.8 x 4 = 3.2 ≈ 4KN/m²

3
Calculation – 2 :
Also from the report from Forest Department, Jammu and Kashmir (page 7) as
available in http://www.jkforest.gov.in/wplans/kisht_P1.pdf mentions the Average
annual snowfall to be 510mm.

The screenshot of the same is as below

4
Thus, the Ground Snow Load

= (Maximum Depth of undisturbed aggregate Cumulative Snowfall x Average

Density)

 Maximum Depth of Undisturbed Aggregate cumulative Rainfall = 510mm

(0.510m)
( Average Annual Snowfall in Kishtwar region = 510mm - Data as per the
Forest Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir )

Density of snowfall = 800kg/m³ = 8 KN/m²

= 0.510 * 8 = 4.08 KN/m²

U = Shape Coefficient = 0.8 ( since slope of the roof is 30deg)

Thus the Design Snow load = 0.8 x 4.08

= 3.26 ≈: 4 KN/m²

Conclusion
Thus, from both the calculation 1 and calculation 2 , a Design snow load value of
4 KN/m² has been considered for the structural design of the project.