A Laboratory Investigation of the Mechanics and Hydraulics of River Ice Jams,

Abstract

This report presents experimental results on the conditions of initiation of an ice jam by a simple surface obstruction, on the equilibrium thickness of an ice jam formed by accumulation and submergence of ice floes, and on the compression strength of floating, fragmented ice cover. In the study on ice jam initiation, it was found that the minimum concentration of floes in the opening of the obstruction at which a jam occurs is nearly independent of the ratio of width of constricted passage to channel width, and is proportional to a negative power of the ratio of floe length to width of constricted passage. From energy analysis of floe submergence, a relationship relating the thickness of a jam formed by accumulation and submergence of floes to the approach flow characteristics was derived and found to fit satisfactorily the experimental data. In experiments on compression strength of floating, fragmented ice cover it was found that the compressive strength is inversely proportional to compression velocity and independent of cover length.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1976
Accession Number
ADA032471

Entities

People

  • C. L. Lee
  • J. C. Tatinclaux
  • J. F. Kennedy
  • T. Nakato
  • T. P. Wang

Organizations

  • University of Iowa

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Buildings And Structures
  • Compression
  • Compressive Strength
  • Experimental Data
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Hydraulics
  • Hydromechanics
  • Laboratory Procedures
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Mechanics
  • Physical Properties
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Research Facilities
  • Thickness

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Polar and Arctic Studies
  • Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures.