Numerical study on dynamic icebreaking process of an icebreaker by ordinary state-based peridynamics and continuous contact detection algorithm

The existence of ice and its interaction with structure greatly threaten the navigation of the icebreaker. Due to the damage characteristics of ice, the traditional numerical ways based on mesh method are challenging to solve ice-structure interaction. The nonlocal particle methods have increasingly gained popularity as an essential tool for calculating large deformation problems. In the present work, a meshfree particle-based computational model is developed to investigate the icebreaking process and dynamic icebreaking resistance. The model employs ordinary state-based Peridynamics theory to establish the constitutive relation for ice which is modelled as an isotropic homogeneous elastic material. Furthermore, a continuous contact detection algorithm is proposed, which can be applied to detect the contact process between irregular structures and particles, to study the process of ice-ship interaction. Two dimensional (2D) three-points bending of ice beam and 3D ice sphere impact are studied numerically to validate the method specifically in modelling ice failure. Then, the investigation on the continuous-mode icebreaking process is carried out. The comparison of the present numerical results with existing experimental data demonstrated the validity and accuracy of the present numerical model for analysing the icebreaking process and predicting the icebreaking resistance.