Peak loads during dynamic ice-structure interaction caused by rapid ice strengthening at near-zero relative velocity

Abstract

A series of ice penetration tests with a rigid structure, with controlled oscillation, and with a single-degree-of-freedom structure were performed to investigate the peak load-velocity dependence for ethanol-doped model ice during a test campaign at the Aalto Ice and Wave Tank. For the rigid structure and controlled-oscillation tests, the ice drift speed ranged between 1 and 150 mm s−1. In the controlled-oscillation tests, amplitudes of oscillation between 0.40 and 15.90 mm and frequencies of oscillation between 0.143 and 4 Hz were prescribed such that the relative velocity between ice and structure never became negative. A constant ice drift deceleration experiment with a single-degree-of-freedom structure was performed to investigate the development of frequency lock-in and intermittent crushing in the model ice and compare the results with the rigid structure and controlled-oscillation tests. It was found that the peak load-velocity dependence identified in the rigid structure tests was not always uniquely defined as identified in the controlled-oscillation tests because the loading history affected the peak load at ice failure. A rapid strengthening of the ice developed at low relative velocity and carried over to high relative velocity until the ice failure dissipated the strengthening effect. The strengthening effect, observed in the rigid structure and controlled-oscillation tests, was also observed during frequency lock-in and intermittent crushing in the single-degree-of-freedom structure test. The observations in the present study indicate that the so-called velocity and compliance effects in ice-structure interaction originate from the same strengthening effect. It then follows that peak loads on compliant structures cannot exceed peak loads on rigid structures in the same ice conditions, with the only difference being that the peak loads on compliant structures occur at apparently higher far-field ice drift speeds due to the change in relative velocity.