Application of dimensional analysis to estimation of ice-induced pressures on rigid vertical structures

Abstract

Dimensional analysis requirements for estimating ice-induced pressures during ice-structure interaction are identified, established, and discussed. Analysis of representative experimental results, based on these requirements, showed that for structures with constant surface slope, dimensionless ice-induced pressure (pe/ρiu2) is a function of four independent dimensionless parameters — aspect ratio (B/h), square of thickness Froude number (STFN = u2/gh), Cauchy number (CN = E/ρiu2), and a constitutive similarity condition (E/σ). It was found that (1) when STFN, CN, and E/σ were held constant, ice-induced pressure could be uniquely determined as a decreasing function of increasing B/h; (2) at any constant B/h, dimensionless ice-induced pressure decreased with increasing STFN, if CN was held constant; (3) when more than one independent dimensionless variables were simultaneously varied, ability to determine ice-induced pressure became increasingly difficult; and (4) for ice-structure interaction problems, when one independent dimensional variable was changed, it became difficult to keep some other independent dimensionless variables as constants because of interdependent nature of dimensionless variables defining the problem. This analysis is more useful in forming conclusions and insights on the influence of parameters defining ice-induced pressure and could be extended to develop predictive empirical equation for ice-induced pressures and deformation processes in ice-structure interaction problem.Key words: aspect ratio, dimensional analysis, failure modes, ice-structure interaction pressures, similarity theory.