Author(s): Wang Chenxin; Tian Yukui; Gang Xuhao; Zhao Weihang; Yu Chaoge
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Sea ice; Non-smooth contact dynamics; Three-point bending; Cohesive-force model; Flexural failure
Abstract: This paper investigates the applicability of the non-smooth contact dynamics (NSCD) method to the numerical simulation of sea-ice bending failure. A three-point bending test was carried out on a saline ice specimen, and an NSCD-based numerical model was established using a cohesive-force contact representation between sub-particles. The simulated strength-displacement response was then compared with the experimental result. The measured maximum failure displacement, flexural strength, and Young's modulus are 2.31 mm, 1.29 MPa, and 210.5 MPa, respectively, while the corresponding simulated values are 1.56 mm, 1.19 MPa, and 286.1 MPa. The results show that the model can reproduce the overall shape of the bending response and predict the peak strength with reasonable accuracy, although it underestimates the failure displacement and overestimates the specimen stiffness. The study demonstrates that the NSCD method is a feasible approach for simulating sea-ice flexural failure and provides a basis for future analyses of more complex ice-structure interaction problems.
Year: 2026