A Potential Application of DEM-CFD Coupling Method for Brash Ice Model Testing

Abstract Numerical simulations in arctic engineering gained increasing interest in recent years. Discrete element method coupled with computational fluid dynamics (DEM-CFD) method has shown great potential for supporting ice model tests by simulating ships and offshore structures interacting with ice in scenarios involving significant hydrodynamic effects. This paper first provides an overview of DEM-CFD coupling method, focusing on the ice model testing applications. The paper aims to show the possibility and potential of the coupled DEM-CFD solver to apply on brash ice model testing. A showcase is used: a monopile foundation (a cylinder) in drifting brash ice field. Three simulations are performed: brash ice cladding on the cylinder by only using DEM; the cylinder in water by only using CFD, and the cylinder in brash ice by using coupled DEM-CFD solver. The total force on the cylinder towards the ice moving direction is calculated and compared. A brief comparison with ice model test results is also provided.