An Ice-Structure Interaction Model for Non-simultaneous Ice Failure

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents a new analytical model to simulate time-dependent response of structures subjected to ice impact. The ice forces are limited by ice failure with the ice considered to fail in multiple zones non-simultaneously. The results of numerical simulation of structural response to the non-simultaneous ice failure loads are provided. Non-simultaneous ice failure is one important failure mode of larger scale ice moving at moderate to high speed. This model combines previous independent failure zone theory of brittle materials and a dynamic ice-structure interaction model. Developing offshore energy has become more and more serious worldwide in recent years with considerable offshore and shipping activities in the Arctic. Ice is a dominant feature of the Arctic region and predicting interaction effects on offshore structures and ships operating in the Arctic is essential in Arctic engineering. The ability to understand the magnitude and cyclic nature of ice forces and structure response is a key aspect for offshore structural design in cold regions. The prediction of structural response when encountering interactions with ice is essential for safe operations in this region. The model presented here is an effort to better understand and predict ice forces. This model is able to produce an ice load time history, which can be applied to dynamic ice-structure interaction analysis. The model can also generate a pressure-area curve based on the input ice characteristics. The resulting shape of the pressure-area curve is shown to depend upon input parameters. Besides the pressure area relationships, the resulting pressure dependence on various parameters is also studied such as independent zone size, shape and strength.