{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/109870"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/109870","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Design implications of snow deposition problems in ski resort areas","abstract":"The rapid development of ski resorts has added to environmental problems. In these environments, snow deposition and its accompanying problems are a major element in architectural design and planning. The objectives of this research were to investigate the background of ski resort development and the problems encountered in their design, construction, and operation. The research undertaken found specific areas of systematic problem solution to be necessary, including the use of historical and indigenous building techniques, related modern technology, detailed site analysis, field testing, and wind tunnel testing. Observation of ski resorts in New England revealed that ice and snow accumulation are major problems and present hazards to pedestrians, vehicles, and structures. Field tests of flat, restricted area roofs were conducted at Snowshoe, West Virginia to discover the possible applications of ice expansion problems in test models. It was observed that expansion and contraction of ice on the roof resulted in structural damage. Wind tunnel testing was used to determine applications of drifting and migration patterns of snow. Buildings with larger surface areas exposed to the wind create more diffuse wind eddy patterns at ground level and less movement of simulated snow. Increased building size in the downwind direction created less movement. Vegetation was found to provide shelter for and inhibit snow drifting around models placed near it.","abstract_html":"The rapid development of ski resorts has added to environmental problems. In these environments, snow deposition and its accompanying problems are a major element in architectural design and planning. The objectives of this research were to investigate the background of ski resort development and the problems encountered in their design, construction, and operation. The research undertaken found specific areas of systematic problem solution to be necessary, including the use of historical and indigenous building techniques, related modern technology, detailed site analysis, field testing, and wind tunnel testing. Observation of ski resorts in New England revealed that ice and snow accumulation are major problems and present hazards to pedestrians, vehicles, and structures. Field tests of flat, restricted area roofs were conducted at Snowshoe, West Virginia to discover the possible applications of ice expansion problems in test models. It was observed that expansion and contraction of ice on the roof resulted in structural damage. Wind tunnel testing was used to determine applications of drifting and migration patterns of snow. Buildings with larger surface areas exposed to the wind create more diffuse wind eddy patterns at ground level and less movement of simulated snow. Increased building size in the downwind direction created less movement. Vegetation was found to provide shelter for and inhibit snow drifting around models placed near it.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Parris, Ralph Douglas"],"institution":"Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University","degree_name":"M. Arch.","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Architecture","degree_department":"Architecture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1975,"date_issued":"1975","date_published":"1975","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:09Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109870","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Parris, Ralph Douglas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-05-09T15:44:55Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-05-09T15:44:55Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["1975"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.dcmitype","label":"Dc Type Dcmitype","values":["Text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M. Arch."]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109870"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The rapid development of ski resorts has added to environmental problems. In these environments, snow deposition and its accompanying problems are a major element in architectural design and planning. The objectives of this research were to investigate the background of ski resort development and the problems encountered in their design, construction, and operation. The research undertaken found specific areas of systematic problem solution to be necessary, including the use of historical and indigenous building techniques, related modern technology, detailed site analysis, field testing, and wind tunnel testing. Observation of ski resorts in New England revealed that ice and snow accumulation are major problems and present hazards to pedestrians, vehicles, and structures. Field tests of flat, restricted area roofs were conducted at Snowshoe, West Virginia to discover the possible applications of ice expansion problems in test models. It was observed that expansion and contraction of ice on the roof resulted in structural damage. Wind tunnel testing was used to determine applications of drifting and migration patterns of snow. Buildings with larger surface areas exposed to the wind create more diffuse wind eddy patterns at ground level and less movement of simulated snow. Increased building size in the downwind direction created less movement. Vegetation was found to provide shelter for and inhibit snow drifting around models placed near it."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["M. Arch."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Design implications of snow deposition problems in ski resort areas"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.department":["Architecture"],"dc:creator":["Parris, Ralph Douglas"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-05-09T15:44:55Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-05-09T15:44:55Z"],"dc:date.issued":["1975"],"dc:description.abstract":["The rapid development of ski resorts has added to environmental problems. In these environments, snow deposition and its accompanying problems are a major element in architectural design and planning. The objectives of this research were to investigate the background of ski resort development and the problems encountered in their design, construction, and operation. The research undertaken found specific areas of systematic problem solution to be necessary, including the use of historical and indigenous building techniques, related modern technology, detailed site analysis, field testing, and wind tunnel testing. Observation of ski resorts in New England revealed that ice and snow accumulation are major problems and present hazards to pedestrians, vehicles, and structures. Field tests of flat, restricted area roofs were conducted at Snowshoe, West Virginia to discover the possible applications of ice expansion problems in test models. It was observed that expansion and contraction of ice on the roof resulted in structural damage. Wind tunnel testing was used to determine applications of drifting and migration patterns of snow. Buildings with larger surface areas exposed to the wind create more diffuse wind eddy patterns at ground level and less movement of simulated snow. Increased building size in the downwind direction created less movement. Vegetation was found to provide shelter for and inhibit snow drifting around models placed near it."],"dc:description.degree":["M. Arch."],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/109870"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:title":["Design implications of snow deposition problems in ski resort areas"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.dcmitype":["Text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Architecture"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["M. Arch."],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:20:09Z"}