Global Loads due to First-Year Ice Ridges

This paper presents a new model for predicting global first-year ice loads on offshore structures that are subjected to the action of ice ridges. The ridge is assumed to be composed of a sail, a consolidated layer and a keel. The consolidated layer may include an area of rafted ice. The ridge keel is considered as a layered accumulation of ice rubble. The strength of this ice rubble is variable and is assumed to depend on the depth. A soil mechanical approach is used to simulate the changes in the keel profile when a structure penetrates the ridge. Both vertical and inclined structures can be considered by the present model.