Surge motion of an ice floe in waves: comparison of a theoretical and an experimental model

• Published in: Annals of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Meylan, M.H., Yiew, L.J., Bennetts, L.G., French, B.J., Thomas, G.A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: International Glaciological Society 2015
• Subjects: Sea-ice modelling; Luke; Giles; Annals of Glaciology; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2440/97235; https://doi.org/10.3189/2015AoG69A646

A theoretical model and an experimental model of surge motions of an ice floe due to regular waves are presented. The theoretical model is a modified version of Morrison’s equation, valid for small floating bodies. The experimental model is implemented in a wave basin at a scale 1 : 100, using a thin plastic disc to model the floe. The processed experimental data display a regime change in surge amplitude when the incident wavelength is approximately twice the floe diameter. It is shown that the theoretical model is accurate in the high-wavelength regime, but highly inaccurate in the lowwavelength regime. Michael H. Meylan, Lucas J. Yiew, Luke G. Bennetts, Benjamin J. French, Giles A. Thomas