2D numerical modeling of icebreaker advancing in ice-covered water

This paper presents 2D numerical modeling to calculate ship–ice interactions that occur when an icebreaker advances into ice-covered water. The numerical model calculates repeated icebreaking of an ice plate and removal of small ice floes. The icebreaking of the ice plate is calculated using a ship–ice contact detection technique and fluid–structural interaction of ice plate bending behavior. The ship–ice interactions in small ice floes are calculated using a physically based modeling with 3DOF rigid body equations. The ice plate is broken in crushing, bending, and splitting mode. The ice floes drift by wind or current and by the force induced by the ship–ice interaction. The time history of ice force and ice floe distribution when an icebreaker advances into the ice-covered water are obtained numerically. Numerical results demonstrate that the time history of ice force and distribution of ice floes (ice channel width) depend on the ice floe size, ship motion and ice drifting by wind or current. It is shown that the numerical model of ship maneuvering in realistic ice conditions is necessary to obtain precise information about the ship in ice-covered water. The proposed numerical model can be useful to provide data of a ship operating in ice-covered water.