Ice loads on hydraulic engineering structures: enhancement of analysis methods

. It is very important to properly analyze ice loads when selecting architectural and structural solutions for hydraulic engineering structures (HS), as this analysis has a significant impact on the economic efficiency of a construction project as a whole. Since this discipline is relatively new and relevant for certain areas only, the use of the finite-element method is not common for the modeling of ice as compared to other materials, such as concrete and steel, and it is rarely used in design. Materials and methods. Ice loads are classified into types subject to the availability of sufficient regulatory requirements ensuring safe and cost-effective design of offshore HS; the co-authors believe that FEM should be applied if there are no sufficient regulatory requirements in place. Results. Based on the performed analysis the authors make a conclusion that FEM can be applied to certain types of ice loads to increase the accuracy of results. It is possible to cover the entire range of HS ice loads provided that the extended finite element method (X-FEM) is adapted to them, which is an ambitious task. Conclusions. Different types of ice loads require specific approaches to be adopted whenever FEM is used for modeling purposes. Since proven modeling methods cannot be applied to all types of ice loads, it is impossible to make ice load calculations for all loading options. To convert empirical estimates, made in design engineering, to comprehensive analyses of ice loads using FEM one should revise methods of ice field cracking analysis to be able to analyze the loading produced by hummocks and flat ice and perceived by multi-column structures, so that one could take a better account of the architectural parameters of HS basements within the framework of the ice load perception analysis.