An experimental model of wave-induced motions of an ice floe

Approximately ten per cent of the ocean surface is frozen into a layer of sea ice. Ocean surface waves penetrate deep into the ice-covered ocean. Waves breakup the ice, cause ice floes to raft and contribute to formation of new ice. They hence play a key role in extent and strength of the ice cover. An experimental model of wave-ice interactions was implemented using the wave basin facility at Plymouth University. A single floe was subjected to monochromatic waves, using different amplitudes and frequencies. Two different synthetic materials were used to model the ice. Only a loose mooring restricted the floe. The elastic plate motion was measured using a non-intrusive motion tracking system and the depth of fluid on the plate surface was measured simultaneously. Preliminary results in which the experimental measurements are compared to a two dimensional thin elastic plate model are presented.