Numerical investigation of collision between massive ice floe and marine structure using coupled SPH-FEM method

The objective of the present study is to propose a numerical method to simulate the collision process between a massive ice floe and a marine structure using the coupled SPH-FEM model. The elastoplastic constitutive model with a von Mises yield surface is used to simulate the ice mechanical behaviour. The effectiveness of the coupled SPH-FEM method is verified by comparing the numerical results of failure force, failure time, and fracture patterns with those of the documented experimental results of the three-point flexural strength model. Then the collision scenario of a stiffened panel subjected to a massive ice floe is addressed based on the proposed method. The impact force, wave disturbance phenomena and structural deformation of the numerical simulation show a good agreement with the documented experimental results. The coupled SPH-FEM method can improve the reliability and efficiency of the ice-structure collision simulation. This developed model can investigate the ice-structure collisions.