Analysis and realization of the influence of sea ice flexural strength on ice resistance in numerical simulation of icebreaking by icebreaker

Abstract

Ice resistance of icebreaker navigating in ice area is the main reference index for the ship design and the selection of the main engine. Researchers gradually use the numerical simulation method to study ice resistance and its influencing factors because of the development of computer technology. But there are few studies on the effect of sea ice flexural strength on ice resistance in the numerical simulation. In this study, a method was proposed to simulate the change of sea ice flexural strength numerically by changing the parameters of the sea ice material model, so as to realize the influence analysis on ice resistance. Firstly, the material model that can realize the simulation of the icebreaker running ahead in level ice was determined. Then, the parameters of the material model affecting the flexural strength numerically were determined. Taking the material model adopted in this paper as an example, the parameters were plastic failure strain, Young's modulus, and compressive yield strength. Finally, the value criterion of influence parameters was put forward in the given design space and applied to the numerical simulation of the icebreaker running ahead in level ice. It was demonstrated that the method could realize the influence of sea ice flexural strength on ice resistance in the numerical simulation. This study is a new attempt in the numerical simulation of the icebreaker running ahead in level ice and it can help ship designers to analyze the navigation performance of icebreakers in different ice areas.