Effects of Ice-Breaking Nose Shapes on Drift Ice Impact Forces.

By using ANSYS/LS-DYNA explicit dynamical analysis software, finite element models for an ice sheet and a T-frame bridge were set up individually. On the basis of the deformation compatibility condition and momentum equation, the impact force of a drift ice sheet on a bridge pier was computed. The effects of ice-breaking nose shapes on the ice impact force were investigated. The parameters studied included the nose angle of a wedge-shaped ice-breaking nose, the inclination angle of both wedge-shaped and bow-shaped ice-breaking noses, and the curvature of a bow-shaped ice-breaking nose. The research results indicated that the inclination and nose angle of a wedge-shaped ice-breaking nose and the curvature and inclination angle of a bow-shaped ice-breaking nose are important factors affecting the drift ice impact force. On the basis of the study results, design parameters for the ice-breaking nose shapes were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]