Viscoelastic wave–ice interactions: a computational fluid–solid dynamic approach

A computational fluid–solid dynamic model is employed to simulate the interaction between water waves and a consolidated ice cover. The model solves the Navier–Stokes equations for the ocean-wave flow around a solid body, and the solid behavior is formalized by the Maxwell viscoelastic model. Model predictions are compared against experimental flume tests of waves interacting with viscoelastic plates. The decay rate and wave dispersion predicted by the model are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results. Furthermore, the model is scaled, by simulating the wave interaction with an actual sea ice cover formed in the ocean. The scaled decay and dispersion results are found to be still valid in full scale. It is shown that the decay rate of waves in a viscoelastic cover is proportional to the quadratic of wave frequency in long waves, whilst biquadrate for short waves. The former is likely to be a viscoelastic effect, and the latter is likely to be related to the energy damping caused by the fluid motion. Overall, the modeling approach and results of the present paper are expected to provide new insights into wave–ice interactions and help researchers to dynamically simulate similar fluid–structure interactions with high fidelity.