Modelling floating offshore units moored in broken ice: model description

• Published in: Cold regions science and technology Vol. 29; no. 2; pp. 97 - 106
• Main Authors: Hansen, Edmond H., Løset, Sveinung
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.08.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Broken ice field; Buildings. Public works; Exact sciences and technology; Floating offshore units; Ground, air and sea transportation, marine construction; Hydraulic constructions; Marine construction; Port facilities and coastal structures. Lighthouses and beacons; Simulation model; Broken ice field; Floating offshore units; Simulation model; Mooring; Interaction; Kinematics; Collision; Floating structure; Hydrodynamics; Behavior; Sea ice
• ISSN: 0165-232X; 1872-7441
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-232X(99)00023-3

A simulation model that predicts the behaviour of a vessel moored in broken ice has been developed. The kinematics and dynamics of a broken ice field subject to external forcing are simulated using discrete element modelling. In the model each icefloe is represented by a circular disk while boundaries, land formations and structures may have any piecewise linear shape. Disk–disk or disk–structure collisions are modelled as linear viscous-elastic, or as a Coulomb friction contact in case of relative tangential sliding. The ice model was coupled to a model of a vessel moored on a catenary mooring, i.e., a model accounting for the wind and hydrodynamic forcing on a slender vessel, as well as restoring forces from mooring lines. The coupled numerical model is described in this paper.