Author(s): Firdaus Prabowo; Dharma Sree; Adrian Law Wing-Keung; Hayley H. Shen
Linked Author(s): Wing Keung, Adrian Law
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Global warming has significantly changed the environment of Earth’s coldest regions. While in the Antarctic, sea ice is expanding its areal coverage, in the Arctic a dramatic decrease is observed. Consequently, the Arctic region is now more accessible for shipping and offshore constructions than before, hence the emerging needs to understand the sea-ice and wave interactions. Previous studies have modeled the floating ice field as a viscoelastic material. However, experimental validation of the theoretical model is still lacking. In this study, we propose using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the scalable viscoelastic material for laboratory modelling and testing. Viscoelastic characterization of the PDMS material using a rotational rheometer was first established. Then, preliminary experiments with a PDMS cover on water were performed with a small rocking tank that emulated a combination of standing and traveling wave conditions. Rocking tank experiments using both water-only and oil-on-water were done for comparison. A discussion on the corresponding wave responses is given in this paper. The future experimental plan for the scaled study in a small wave flume is also presented.
Year: 2014