Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Experimental tests in CSSRC SIMB revealed that a cylinder breaking upward through an ice sheet generates local radial and circumferential cracks centered at the loading position. • A numerical model using LS-DYNA was developed and validated against experimental data, enabling parametric studies on ice thickness and upward speed. • Ice load on the cylinder is significantly influenced by ice thickness and upward speed, with thicker ice and higher speeds leading to increased peak loads. • The study provides a measurement method for ice load during vertical ice-breaking and offers insights for the safety design of underwater structures in ice-covered waters.
Abstract
Ice load on underwater vehicles breaking through ice covers from underneath is a significant concern for researchers in polar exploration, and the research on this problem is still in its early stages. Both mechanical experimental measurement and numerical simulation pose research challenges. This study focuses on the ice load of a cylinder structure breaking upward through the ice sheet form underneath in the Small Ice Model Basin of China Ship Scientific Research Center (CSSRC SIMB). A high-speed camera system was employed to observe the ice sheet failure during the tests, in which, with the loading position as center, local radial cracks and circumferential cracks were generated. A load sensor was used to measure the overall ice load during this process. Meanwhile, a numerical model was developed using LS-DYNA for validation and comparison. With this model, numerical simulation was conducted under various ice thicknesses and upgoing speeds to analyze the instantaneous curves of ice load. The calculation results were statistically analyzed under different working conditions to determine the influence of the factors on the ice load of the cylinder. The study explores the measurement method about ice load of objects vertically breaking through model ice sheet and is expected to provide some fundamental insights into the safety design of underwater structures operating in ice waters.
1. Introduction
The melting of Arctic sea ice has resulted in the opening of the Arctic route [1]. However, navigating in the Arctic region has proved to be a challenge due to unexpected situations, with underwater vehicles stuck in ice being a relatively common emergency. In such events, vehicles often find it difficult to extricate themselves and require auxiliary ice-breaking methods. The focus of most of the existing research is placed on longitudinal and transverse ice-breaking [2]. However, neither of these methods is suitable for solving the problem of an underwater vehicle stuck in ice. On the other side, some scholars think that vertical ice-breaking has demonstrated superior efficacy in dealing with underwater vehicles stuck in ice [3]. During vertical ice-breaking, the ice sheet undergoes shearing and bending failures, which will assist vehicles in freeing themselves from the ice sheet.
Furthermore, when designing offshore structures, it is essential to consider the allowable stress of the ice plate as a bearing medium. The interaction between the offshore structure and the ice sheet is nearly identical to the quasi-static loading form of a cylinder vertically breaking through ice sheet underneath, underscoring the importance of the design ice load for a cylinder vertically breaking through ice sheet. Research in this area not only enhances the ice-breaking capabilities of an underwater structure but also provides vital insights for offshore structure design.
The theoretical investigation of the ice load on cylindrical structures has been the subject of rapid advancement, with the predominant research method entailing the establishment of a mechanical model for vertical loading and its subsequent solution through computer programming [4]. Notably, Chuang [3] suggests that the effect of water is of relatively minor significance in the vertical ice-breaking process of a cylinder. Utilizing the fundamental assumption of the small deflection theory of elastic thin plates and the theory of elastic mechanics, Chuang could compute the deflection of a four-sided supported rectangular ice plate when subjected to a concentrated force.
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ZHAO Wei-hang, TIAN Yu-kui, JI Shao-peng, GANG Xu-hao, YU Chao-ge, KONG Shuai (2025). Investigation on the Ice Load on a Cylinder Vertically Breaking through Model Ice Sheet from Underneath. SinoTechIntel Verified Research. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1007-7294.2025.06.010
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main focus of this study?
The study investigates the ice load on a cylinder vertically breaking through a model ice sheet from underneath, combining experimental measurements and numerical simulations to analyze failure modes and load characteristics.
How was the ice load measured in the experiments?
A load sensor was used to measure the overall ice load during the vertical breaking process, while a high-speed camera system observed the ice sheet failure patterns.
What numerical method was used for validation?
A numerical model was developed using LS-DYNA, a finite element analysis software, to simulate the ice-breaking process and validate against experimental results.
What are the key findings regarding ice failure modes?
The tests revealed that local radial cracks and circumferential cracks are generated with the loading position as the center, indicating a combination of bending and shearing failures.
How do ice thickness and upward speed affect ice load?
Numerical simulations showed that both ice thickness and upward speed significantly influence the ice load, with thicker ice and higher speeds generally leading to increased peak loads.
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