SPH Modeling of Water Flow Over Ice

Abstract The flow of water over ice is an important consideration in the operational planning and safety of applications where water is pumped on ice, such as the construction of ice roads and bridges, Arctic airfield runways, and flood barriers. A recent and innovative application involves thickening Arctic sea ice during winter to extend its life in the summer. This process utilizes the albedo effect, where ice reflects solar radiation, in contrast to dark ocean water, which absorbs heat. To evaluate the scalability of ice thickening for creating thicker ice layers over large areas, a key parameter is the distance water can travel across the ice surface, particularly in the presence of a snow layer. Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations were employed to model the flow of water over ice. The ice-water interaction parameters—static and dynamic friction coefficients and viscous damping coefficients—were calibrated against a modified Manning’s equation that accounts for surface roughness and porosity. The simulations showed that ice bending under the weight of water and the thickness of the snow layer significantly influence water distribution across the ice surface. Furthermore, the bearing capacity of the ice imposes a critical limit on the amount of water that can be pumped. These findings establish a framework for upcoming ice flooding projects. Field measurements of water flow over ice will further refine and validate these models, advancing the potential for scalable implementation of this approach.