Modernized complex of FSBI “AARI” ice tanks. On the 35th anniversary of its commissioning

The current AARI complex of ice tanks was commissioned in 1990. Its modernization was carried out in 2022–2023 within the framework of a grant allocated by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. In the course of the modernization, the refrigeration units of the large and small ice basins were renewed, a thermally insulated complex of rooms with a core storage facility was built, new measuring equipment was purchased, and the machine park of the model workshop was updated. The article discusses the results of the modernization and the capabilities of the complex of ice basins. 30 m long, 5 m wide and 1.8 m deep, the large tank allows ship models and offshore structures to be tested in various ice conditions. The ice basin has a deep-water part with a depth of 6 m, which is used to model the surfacing of underwater objects from under the ice. The small ice tank, 5 m in length, 5 m in width, and 2.5 m in depth is used to perform a wide range of studies on naturally frozen ice in the field of mechanics of deformation and fracture of sea ice. The small tank can also be used as a low-temperature laboratory to study the properties of various coatings and materials. The paper presents the most interesting and significant experimental studies carried out at the AARI complex of ice basins over the past 10 years. The studies include: self-propelled testing of ship models equipped with new remotely controlled rudder propellers including the testing of the new scientific expedition vessel «Ivan Frolov», currently being built for the AARI; physical modeling of the behavior of the ice-resistant self-propelled platform (IRSPP) “North Pole” under conditions of intense ice compression; physical modeling of the interaction of ice with hydraulic structures: bridge pears and shore reinforcement structures. The modernization of equipment and measuring devices contributes to a significant increase in the range of studies that can be performed using the AARI complex of ice tanks and enhances the quality of studies.