Tribological Behavior of Ice on Rough Surfaces

Abstract

Ice is a very unusual material that can not be explained by the basic physics of adhesion and friction when the ice contacts other solid materials. Several studies are being conducted to reduce resistance due to friction with sea ice during the design and construction of icebreakers that break sea ice and operate. However, fundamental studies on the frictional phenomenon of ice are very lacking because not only the frictional behavior is different depending on the shape of the hull, the coating condition, the ice state, and the speed of the ship, but also it is difficult to test and measure in actual sea areas. In this study, a test method for frictional force and coefficient using ice was introduced to accurately estimate the frictional resistance of icebreakers. The frictional characteristics of model ice and freshwater ice on various rough plates were investigated, and the frictional behavior under various test conditions was measured and evaluated. In particular, the friction change according to the difference in material and the roughness change in the same material, and the friction behavior according to the test conditions were measured. Test results show that the frictional coefficient of ice depends on the material of the plate, the roughness of the plates, lubrication conditions, and ice types. In addition, the tribological behavior of ice on rough surfaces is greatly influenced by the height characteristics parameters as well as the amplitude parameters of the roughness.