Motion of an External Load over a Semi-Infinite Ice Sheet in the Subcritical Regime

Abstract

The three-dimensional problem of steady-state forced vibrations of fluid and semiinfinite ice sheet under the action of a local external load traveling along the rectilinear sheet edge at a constant velocity is considered. Two cases are analyzed. In the first case the fluid surface outside the ice sheet is free and in the second the fluid is confined by a rigid vertical wall and the ice sheet edge adjacent to the wall can be both clamped and free. The ice sheet is simulated by a thin elastic isotropic plate floating on the surface of fluid of finite depth. The load traveling velocity is assumed to be not higher than the minimum phase velocity of the flexural-gravity waves (subcritical regime). The solution to the linear problem is obtained by means of the integral Fourier transform and matching the expansions of the velocity potential in the vertical eigenfunctions. Examples of the numerical investigation of the ice sheet and fluid displacements are given.