Author(s): B. Michel; R. Abdelnour
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Abstract: This paper gives the results of an experimental study made in a laboratory flume to determine the stability of a river ice cover. This cover was simulated with a wax whose properties were similar to those of ice at an average scale of about 1/25. The main objective of the study was to determine the hydraulic conditions for which the solid ice would break and be carried along with the flow. It was found that the phenomenon of failure of the ice cover could be interpreted with a non-dimensional number characterizing the flow velocity and the strength of the ice as a function of the relative thickness of the ice. A power law was found to relate these two numbers and the correlation coefficient is acceptable. These laboratory results may be extrapolated to nature in many cases to compute the river discharge and water levels necessary to destroy an ice cover of variable resistance.
Year: 1975