Ice-load estimation for a ship hull based on continuous response monitoring

The expected growth of maritime and offshore activities in arctic areas has led to an increased interest in understanding the risks associated with operating in ice-infested waters. Transportation systems such as large tankers, gas carriers, and bulk carriers that are able to operate throughout the year are of particular interest. One of the key factors for this scenario to occur is the ability to design vessel hulls that possess sufficient strength to be able to resist the pressures generated by the ice fields without any critical damage taking place.

This paper is concerned with the estimation of ice loads acting on the hull of the coastguard vessel KV Svalbard, based on strains that were measured during the winters of 2007 and 2008. A finite element model of the bow structure is utilized in order to correlate the loading with the measured strains. The influences of ice thickness and vessel speed on the measured strain levels are also investigated. Methods for extrapolation of the hull response into the future for predictive purposes are also addressed.