Laboratory experiments on shared-energy collisions between freshwater ice blocks and a floating steel structure

Ship collisions with floating ice in which the ship sustains damage are in the shared-energy regime – both the ice and the ship dissipate energy through inelastic deformations. The physics of these events are rarely studied. Experience on the conditions of shared-energy collision tests is limited. The aim of this paper is to present an experimental study on a scenario where the impacted structure undergoes permanent deformations together with ice failure. The paper describes a series of laboratory-scale impact tests of freshwater granular ice blocks against stiffened steel panels, and presents the analysis of the main test results and lessons-learned.