Mechanics of saline ice rubble

不断增长的能源需求将油气勘探推向了北极和北方环境。虽然行业在这一相对较新的专业领域不断发展，但在承受冰负荷的油气基础设施工程方面，知识差距仍然存在。海冰是一种复杂的物质，有许多不同的形状和形式。冰碎石是当一个完整的冰盖与另一个冰盖或障碍物接触时形成的冰碎片的堆积。北极的共同特征是海冰脊，当巨大的碎石堆形成时就会出现。由于这些特征的大小，它们通常对结构和船舶施加最大的载荷，因此它们引起了工业的极大关注。此外，它们还会凿出海底，危及管道和海底基础设施。目前还不可能可靠地估计脊能对结构施加多大的载荷，因为这取决于脊的年龄和组成、结构的类型和破坏模式。这部分是由于缺乏对冰碎石的物理和机械特性如何影响这些参数以及这些参数如何随时间和地点变化的了解。在每个尺度上理解这些过程（单个冰块强度、块间粘结强度、冰碎石强度），并将其与冰脊荷载模型联系起来，对于解决目前在知识和方法上的差距至关重要，也是本工作的主要重点。盐冰碎石的力学是一个为期五年的项目，旨在更好地了解当冰碎石与结构或海底相互作用时，影响冰碎石强度的基本力学和关键物理参数。项目组将进行数值模拟和实验室测试，以研究冰碎石的热力学行为。该项目的结果将有助于开发新的工程方法，合理估计冰脊荷载，反映基础物理，适用于实际设计。该计划还将通过培训新的HQP来帮助发展纽芬兰和拉布拉多的研究能力，这对于该地区在冰相关工程设计和开发方面的持续领导地位非常重要。********

The continuously increasing demand for energy has pushed hydrocarbon exploration into Arctic and northern environments. While industry is evolving in this relatively new area of expertise, knowledge gaps remain in the engineering of oil and gas infrastructure to withstand ice loading. Sea ice is a complex material that can be found in a number of different shapes and forms. Ice rubble is an accumulation of ice fragments formed when an intact ice sheet comes into contact with another ice sheet or an obstacle. Common features in the Arctic are sea ice ridges, which occur when huge piles of rubble form. Due to the size of these features they often impose the greatest loads on structures and vessels, and as such they are of great concern to industry. In addition, they can gouge the seafloor endangering pipelines and subsea infrastructure. At present it is not possible to reliably estimate what load a ridge can exert on a structure since this depends on the age and composition of the ridge, the type of structure and the mode of failure. This is in part due to lack of understanding of how the physical and mechanical properties of ice rubble affect these parameters and how these vary with time and location. Understanding these processes at each scale (individual ice block strength, inter-block bond strength, ice rubble strength) and linking with ice ridge load models is vital to address current gaps in knowledge and methodology, and is the primary focus of this work. The Mechanics of Saline Ice Rubble is a five year project that has been set up to gain a greater understanding of the fundamental mechanics and key physical parameters that contribute to the ice rubble strength when it interacts with a structure or the sea floor. The project team will conduct numerical simulations and laboratory tests to study the thermo-mechanical behavior of the ice rubble. Results from this project will help to develop new engineering methods that give rational estimates of ice ridge loads, which reflect underpinning physics and are suitable for practical design. The program will also help to grow Newfoundland and Labrador's research capability through the training of new HQP, which is important for the region's continued leadership in ice-related engineering design and development.********