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Abstract

In this study, an ice-breaking structure (IBS) was designed to break large ice floes into small fragments through flexural failure predominantly for protecting offshore structures in shallow waters. The protective effect of the IBS on a vertical isolated cylindrical pile (ICP), which was examined through the model tests of the crushing ice loads and collision forces on the ICP from ice pieces broken with the IBS under identical conditions, was evaluated by obtaining the relative difference between the maximum values of the horizontal crushing forces and collision loads on the ICP. The results indicated a notable protective effect of the IBS on the ICP. Moreover, the ice load against the ICP was reduced by approximately 80% when the waterline was not higher than 0.8 times the height of the IBS. The protective effect of the IBS was primarily influenced by the relative water level and was less affected by the relative distances between the two structures. Ice pile-up and ride-up tests on the IBS with a sloping artificial island (SAI) at the downstream indicated that the IBS had an appreciable shelter effect on the SAI. When the water level higher than 0.93 times height of the IBS, the shelter effect of the IBS on the SAI was approximately 4.3, which was measured using the ratio of the height of the ice rubble to the height of the IBS.

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