Article

Experimental study on ice breaking by flexural-gravity waves induced by a moving submerged spheroid

Journal of Fluids and Structures

Tan, Hao ; Sun, Linhua ; Guedes Soares, C. — 2026 — Elvesier

Key information

Authors:

Tan, Hao; Sun, Linhua; Ni, Baoyu; Wang, Shan (Shan Wang); Guedes Soares, C. (Carlos Guedes Soares)

Published in

January 2026

Abstract

A prolate spheroid model is towed beneath an ice sheet in outdoor ice-tank experiments to study the effects of a moving pressure source, which can induce flexural-gravity waves in an ice sheet. To replace the previous cable-driven system, a new underwater towing setup is developed, constraining both the spheroid's horizontal and vertical motions. For the first time, the hydrodynamic forces acting on the body beneath the ice sheet can be directly measured using this setup. Results demonstrate that the spheroid velocity, submergence depth, and ice thickness jointly govern the maximum ice deflection, damage severity, and the drag and lift characteristics of the spheroid. The drag and lift coefficients vary non-monotonically with the velocity, exhibiting distinct differences from the spheroid moving beneath a free surface or a rigid wall. A new dimensionless parameter is proposed to improve the existing ice failure criteria. This new criterion is based on measured ice deflection and a characteristic length scale of the ice sheet, providing a practical and robust parameter for wave-induced ice failure.

Publication details

Authors in the community:

Publication version

AO - Author's Original

Publisher

Elvesier

Link to the publisher's version

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889974625001860

Title of the publication container

Journal of Fluids and Structures

First page or article number

104451

Volume

140

ISSN

0889-9746

DOI

10.1016/j.jfluidstructs.2025.104451

Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

other-engineering-and-technologies - Other engineering and technologies

Keywords

  • Experiments
  • flexural-gravity waves
  • ice breaking
  • fluid-solid interaction

Publication language (ISO code)

eng - English

Rights type:

Restricted access

Financing entity

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Identifier for the funding entity: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871

Type of identifier of the funding entity: Crossref Funder

Number for the project, award or grant: UIDB-UIDP-00134-2020