Numerical simulations on the fracture of a sea ice floe induced by waves

Abstract

A three-dimensional dynamic model based on the peridynamics method is developed to simulate the mechanical behavior of sea ice in response to ocean waves. The ice cover is constructed with spherical particles bonded with mechanical bonds, and the fracture can be represented by the sequential failure of mechanical bonds. The thin elastic plate theory is applied to analyze the stress distribution of the ice cover. We analyze the stress distribution and crack propagation path in different cases. A good agreement among numerical model, a viscoelastic model and thin elastic plate model has been obtained on the maximum stress of the ice cover. The maximum stress of the ice cover increases with the increasing of the wave height and the decreasing of the ice thickness. Results reveal that the ratio of ice length to wavelength Li/L and the ice thickness Hi have significant influence on the fracture of sea ice. The minimum wave height to break the ice floe increases with the decreasing of Li/L or the increasing of Hi.