Numerical Simulation Study on the Ice Load and Ship Motion Response in Formation Navigation in Brash Ice Channels

Abstract In recent years, the melting of Arctic ice has intensified due to the continuous increase in the global average temperature, which has made it possible to open Arctic channels. Predicting ice resistance during ice breaking is a crucial issue for navigating polar ships in ice-covered waters. However, studies on the dynamic ice resistance hydrodynamics and ship motion response of subsequent polar ships in channels after ice breaks are rare. This paper employs CFD-DEM technology to investigate the impact of a channel on a polar ship after icebreaking. The contact of discrete particles is simulated with a variant of the spring-damper model. The fifth-order Stokes wave is introduced to simulate wave action based on nonlinear wave theory. The simulation uses overlapping grid technology to model the ship’s motion response under the combined effects of nonlinear waves, currents, and brash ice. The fluid control equation is discretized using the finite volume method, while the volume of fluid method is used to capture the free surface. Finally, the grid independence is verified and compared with that of the direct sailing resistance test of the bare hull. The numerical simulations of the ice impact force, nonlinear wave action, and ship-ship coupling state were found to be in good agreement. The coupling of CFD-DEM methods can enhance the reliability and efficiency of simulating collisions between structures and brash ice. The model developed in this study can be used to investigate the coupling between dual structures and brash ice collisions.