Structures vibration induced by ice action

Ice induced vibration of fixed offshore structures has been observed in different seas, for example, Beaufort Sea, Cook Inlet, Gulf of Bothnia, Bohai Gulf, Sea of Okhotsk, Caspian Sea. It can have a significant impact, as it may lead to failure due to structural fatigue (Bohai Gulf) or softening foundations, or cause problems with the serviceability of platforms. The experimental works have been conducted for a long time and give results which can be used only for conditions corresponding to the experiment. Moreover, approximate analytical solutions have a limited area of application, because of complexity of the phenomenon. A 2D solution for the numerical study of ice-induced vibration of vertical-sided fixed offshore structures based upon the discrete elements method has been developed by Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University. The results of the comprehensive numerical analysis have been presented by authors to determine the main parameters of the environment and construction which influence the phenomenon.