Effects of Moving Ice Loads on Damage to Hull Structures

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Arctic shipping has seen a dramatic increase in recent years, due mainly to natural resource exploration and shipping. Shipping through the Northern Sea Route is at a level higher than ever before. Commercial ships are attempting to move through the Northwest Passage; for example the 2013 voyage of the bulk carrierMS Nordic Orion. The cruise ship Crystal Serenity (which has no ice strengthening) will cruise through the Northwest Passage in 2016. This increase in Arctic shipping activity implies an rise in the numbers of ships present in the Arctic; thus increasing the probability of shipping accidents. One of the major challenges associated with operating in the Arctic is the danger to hull structures posed by accidental loads from sea ice and floating glacial ice.*****Moving loads are loads that slide along a ship's hull; instead of bouncing off after initial impact. Moving loads, in particular, have the potential to cause much greater damage to ship hulls than stationary loads. Significant risks to personnel, the environment, and ships are associated with moving ice load accident scenarios, including when an ice-strengthened ship is subject to loads greater than the design load, or when a non-ice-strengthened ship (e.g. the cruise ship Crystal Serenity) encounters any ice at all. In these situations, the level of hull damage may be significant, and the risk associated with operating in ice-infested water is very much elevated.*****This research program examines moving ice loads on ship hulls, and response of ship hulls to moving ice loads. These are difficult to treat simultaneously because the study of any one in particular has traditionally required oversimplification of the other. Much is understood about the mechanics of ice load development when ice impacts a “rigid” structure. Similarly, the behaviour of hull structures is well understood when acted upon by “design loads”, or simplified stationary ice loads. The behaviour of each, however, has not been shown to be independent of the other. It is the goal of this research program to study the coupled effects of ice loads and structural response. This will be achieved through a combination of laboratory experiments, numerical modeling, and analytical modeling.****Some of the outcomes of this project include a better understanding of moving ice loads and their effect on hull structures. New bench-marked numerical and analytical tools for assessing moving loads on hull plates and frames will be developed. These models will be used to develop moving-load resistant ship hull designs. Also, highly qualified personnel will gain knowledge and experience with state-of-the-art techniques for the design and analysis of polar-classed ships and structures.**