Fatigue Damage Estimation of Hull Structure of Large Arctic LNG Carrier due to Ice Loads

Abstract

Fatigue damage of a large LNG carrier, Arc 4, due to ice loads is evaluated using a direct calculation method. Ice load estimation is performed based on Kurdumov-Kheisin hydro-dynamic model. Ice thickness is idealized as three categories, and independent ice operation without an icebreaker is assumed. Several hypotheses which have not been fully proven are employed as the first attempt. Fatigue damage due to ice loads is found to be negligibly small comparing with that due to wave loads.