The Effect of Hull-Ice Friction Coefficient on the Resistance of Icebreaking Ships

Using empirical data from model test with 5 similar hull forms, a relationship between ice resistance and friction coefficient is developed. The techniques used in interpreting the model data and normalizing to a common basis are also presented. These include breaking the total resistance into four components; ice breaking, submergence, clearing and open water, and scaling each individually to a common basis. In total, 187 data points were used representing seven different hull-ice friction coefficients. The results show a doubling of ice resistance as the hull-ice friction goes from 0. 05 for a new ship to 0.10 for a ship with a hull in poor condition. Full-scale data for the Canadian Coast Guard R­Class icebreakers is also presented showing a deterioration in icebreaking performance over a ten year period.