Author(s): Ning Wang; Chengzhe Wang; Junjie Wang; Xiaodong Chen; Shunying Ji
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Ship–ice collision; Field experiment; Ice load; Structural response; Numerical simulation
Abstract: This paper presents field model tests of ship structure–sea ice collision conducted at Bohai Bay. Tests were performed at a collision speed of 5 cm/s with a 1:5 scaled ship side structure. Time histories of total ice resistance, contact pressure distribution, and strains at six monitoring points were recorded by force sensors, pressure films, and triaxial strain rosettes. Test results show that sea ice experiences three typical failure modes: local crushing, crack propagation and penetration, and global bending failure. Ice loads present obvious non-uniform spatiotemporal distribution, concentrating at the contact tip and expanding from point to line contact. Structural von Mises stresses are the highest near the contact area and decrease with distance from the load center. Static numerical simulation was carried out using the measured load distribution, and the numerical results agree well with test data. It indicates that static simulation can accurately predict structural responses under low-speed ship–ice collision, providing a reliable reference for numerical modeling of ship–ice interaction.
Year: 2026