Simulation of ice crushing experiment using FE-model update technique

The numerical modeling of continuous failure process in ice-structure interaction FE-analyses is a big challenge. Conventional methods such as element erosion to model crack propagation or material failure are not satisfactory in modeling true failure process of brittle material. Using more sophisticated approach to failure modeling, numerical analysis is able to take account explicit material failure and analysis can be continued after crack propagation without violating balance laws of mechanics. An advanced approach for the modeling of ice-structure interaction is presented in this paper. In the proposed approach material behavior and brittle failure is modeled using continuum damage mechanics (CDM). Crack propagation path prediction is obtained from the CDM model and a model update technique is utilized to propagate the crack explicitly in the mesh. Explicit cracks are created in the mesh by splitting the damaged elements based on the internal crack born inside the element. The crack propagation process is modeled by dividing the analysis into segments and updating the model between the segments. Material failure controls the segments so that model is updated after each crack propagation segment. This approach allows analysis continuation after complete failure and the creation of separate segments yielding to e.g. material separation or pileup. In this paper a laboratory-scale ice block crushing experiment is simulated using the presented approach.