Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Floating Ice Beam Impact Forces against a Sloped Structure

• Main Author: Coutermarsh, Barry A.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1994
• Subjects: Snow; Ice and Permafrost; Civil Engineering; *ICE; *IMPACT PREDICTION; *ICEBREAKERS; DAMAGE; SCALE MODELS; INTERACTIONS; FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS; LOADS(FORCES); CALIBRATION; BRIDGES; PIERS; LENGTH; ELASTIC PROPERTIES; COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS; IMPACT STRENGTH; LOW VELOCITY; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA280752; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA280752

Floating ice impact forces are of concern where structures are built in ice-susceptible waters. Bridge piers, ice control structures or icebreakers are a few examples where the ability to predict the expected ice impact force would be of great help in the design process. Experiments were performed to determine the response of a floating ice beam to a vertically applied force. The data were used to calibrate a numerical finite element model of the floating ice. The ice was characterized as a linear elastic material in the numerical analysis, and the calibration data were used to assess this assumption as well as to develop a fluid influence coefficient matrix to simulate the dynamic influence of the fluid beneath the ice beam. Finally, a scale model study was performed to determine actual impact forces generated by a floating ice beam against a 45 deg sloped structure. The numerical model developed was then compared to the actual data. The numerical model does well at predicting impact forces for all the beams at low velocity and the force from the thicker ice beams at all velocities. Both the numerical and experimental forces show the same trends and appear to level off and approach a constant value with increasing beam length. The discrepancies between numerical predictions and experimental results are thought to be caused by damage in the experimental ice beams which is not accounted for in the numerical model. Freshwater ice, Ribbon bridge, Impact forces, Sloped structures.