Level ice interactions with multi-legged offshore structures

The task of determining the total ice load from drifting level ice floes on 3- and 4-legged structures, widely used in the development of offshore oil & gas fields, was considered in the article. The ANSYS numerical 3D model was used to investigate how the total ice load is influenced by various factors, including the thickness of ice, the leg spacing, the ice drift direction in relation to the structure, the presence of jammed ice between the legs. Based on the results of numerical analysis, a comparison was made between the 3- and 4-legged structures in terms of magnitude of ice load, as well as additional recommendations were done for the procedure of total ice loading calculation in accordance with the Russian national code.