Characterization of Full Scale Operational Ice Pressures and Hull Response on a Large Arctic Tanker

Abstract The prediction of practical ice loads for ships operating in ice-covered waters is fundamental to the calibration of ice class requirements and improvement of Polar ship structural design. Data collected from full-scale instrumentation campaigns is highly valuable, not only for identifying characteristics of ice loads during actual service experience, but also for benchmarking ice class selection and informing future design decisions. This paper presents results of a study focused on utilizing full scale ice impact data for practical Arctic engineering applications. Three (3) bow-shoulder ice impact events were selected from the Varandey shuttle tanker field data set; representing both peak force and peak local pressure events. The 4D pressure method was used to apply the real-time/real-space pressure panel data directly to a finite element model of the bow in order to assess the structural response. Subsequently, these ice loads were applied to lighter structural hull configurations, to benchmark their capability under the same loading events. The results provide unique insight to the response of different ice class structures to real ice impact measurements.