ICEBREAKER BOW FORMS-A PARAMETRIC VARIATION

Using the lines of Canada's most recent class of icebreaker, the R Class, as a starting point, a model test program was undertaken to investigate possible improvements in level ice resistance and ridge penetration capability which might result from changes in the forebody shape of the vessel. A parent hull model and three variants were prepared at a scale of 1:24 and tested in the Arctec Canada ice towing basin in a variety of ice thicknesses at a number of velocities. Testing was carried out in a side-by-side mode in order to provide directly comparative data on the performance of one ship form versus another, as well as to provide data which could be scaled up to estimate full scale performance. The paper describes the development of the various hull forms, the test program and the results of the analysis of the model test data.