Ground snow load map for South Korea using long-term snow depth frequency analysis and observation-based equivalent unit snow weight

Gunhui Chung; Hyeongjoo Lee; Heeseong Park; Hyunseok Lee

doi:10.3741/JKWRA.2026.59.10.1299

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Ground snow load map for South Korea using long-term snow depth frequency analysis and observation-based equivalent unit snow weight 장기 적설심 빈도해석과 실측 등가 단위 적설중량을 이용한 국내 지상설하중 지도 작성

31 October 2026. pp. 1299-1312

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Abstract

Climate change has increased the frequency of wet snow and extreme snowfall events in South Korea, and recent observations have increasingly shown snow loads exceeding the basic ground snow loads specified in the current Korean building design standard, Design Loads for Buildings (KDS 41 12 00). This study proposes an observation-based framework integrating long-term snow records and field measurements to update the ground snow load map for South Korea. First, frequency analysis was performed on annual maximum snow depths from 75 Automated Synoptic Observing System (ASOS) stations with more than 20 years of records. The Generalized Extreme Value (GEV), Gumbel, Gamma, and Exponential distributions were fitted using the probability-weighted moment (PWM) method to estimate snow depths corresponding to a 100-year return period. The estimated 100-year snow depths ranged from 9.84 to 298.79 cm. In addition, an equation for equivalent unit snow weight was developed to account for wet-snow characteristics using 90 paired measurements of snow depth and snow load collected simultaneously at three field monitoring sites from 2023 to 2025. The proposed equation was then applied to the 100-year snow depths to estimate basic ground snow loads, which were compared with those specified in the existing standard. The resulting ground snow loads were approximately 1.0-3.1 times those specified in the 2022 revision of KDS 41 12 00, with particularly large increases along the southwestern coast and in the central inland regions, where wet-snow events are more likely to occur due to wintertime air-sea temperature differences. The proposed observation-based framework for estimating ground snow loads provides a scientific basis for future revisions of Korean design standards that account for wet-snow characteristics and may contribute to improving the structural safety of buildings against snow loads under a changing climate.

Keywords

Ground snow load

Snow depth frequency analysis

Equivalent unit snow weight

Wet snow

Korean Design Standard (KDS)

기후변화로 인해 국내에서는 습설과 극한 대설의 발생 빈도가 증가하고 있으며, 최근 관측된 적설하중은 현행 「건축물 설계하중(KDS 41 12 00)」에서 제시하는 기본 지상설하중을 초과하는 사례가 증가하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 국내 지상설하중 지도의 개정을 위해 장기 적설관측자료와 현장 실측자료를 통합한 관측 기반 산정체계를 제안하였다. 먼저, 20년 이상의 관측자료를 보유한 전국 75개 ASOS 관측소의 연최대 적설심에 대해 GEV, Gumbel, Gamma 및 Exponential 분포와 확률가중모멘트법(PWM)을 이용한 빈도해석을 수행하여 100년 재현기간 적설심을 산정하였다. 분석 결과, 100년 빈도 적설심은 9.84-298.79 cm로 나타났다. 또한, 2023년부터 2025년까지 3개 현장 관측지점에서 동시에 계측한 적설심과 적설하중 자료(90개)를 이용하여 습설 특성을 반영한 등가 단위 적설중량 산정식을 개발하였다. 개발된 산정식을 100년 빈도 적설심에 적용하여 기본 지상설하중을 산정하고 기존 기본 지상설하중과 비교하였다. 그 결과, 2022년에 개정된 기준보다 약 1.0-3.1배 증가하였으며, 특히 겨울철 해기차에 의해 습설 발생 가능성이 높은 서남해안과 중부 내륙지역에서 증가폭이 크게 나타났다. 본 연구에서 제안한 관측 기반 지상설하중 산정체계는 향후 습설의 특성을 고려한 국내 설계기준 개정과 기후변화에 대응한 구조물의 적설 안전성 향상에 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

키워드

지상설하중

적설심 빈도해석

등가 단위 적설중량

습설

건축구조기준(KDS)

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Information

Publisher :KOREA WATER RESOURECES ASSOCIATION
Publisher(Ko) :한국수자원학회
Journal Title :Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
Journal Title(Ko) :한국수자원학회 논문집
Volume : 59
No :10
Pages :1299-1312
Received Date : 2026-07-08
Revised Date : 2026-08-07
Accepted Date : 2026-08-24
DOI :https://doi.org/10.3741/JKWRA.2026.59.10.1299

Journal of Korea Water Resources Association ISSN:2799-8746(Print) 2799-8754(Online) 한국수자원학회 논문집

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