Ice Forces on the R. V. Polarstern During 1984 Labrador Trials

The R. V. Polarstern carried out ice breaking trials in which ice forces were measured with special panels at two locations in the bow. Time series records of the ice forces for a 13-minute period were compared for differences in terms of magnitude and duration of loading for the two locations. Maximum force of 2800 kN was measured on a 1 m2 panel. The nature of ice forces measured on the panels was very different in terms of frequency and duration compared to those measured with strain-gauged frames on the R. V. Polarstern and the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent.