A model study of St. Marys River ice navigation

Ice conditions on the St. Marys River hamper winter navigation between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Vessel movements in the river during winter months lead to changes in the river ice regime and affect local ferry service across the river. A hydraulic scale model of a 7300-m length of the waterway extending downstream from the Soo Locks was used to compare alternatives for relieving these effects. Methods for representing ice behavior were a key element in the model study.An arrangement of ice booms with an open ship passage which does not impede navigation was developed and recommended on the basis of model tests. That boom arrangement was installed at the end of 1975 and proved to be highly effective under the ice conditions experienced in the 1975–1976 and 1976–1977 winter seasons.

Download Full-text

Numerical model study on ice impact on Lake Superior outflow limit

Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering ◽

10.1139/cjce-2014-0276 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 42 (9) ◽

pp. 656-664 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ian Knack ◽

Hung Tao Shen ◽

Fengbin Huang

Keyword(s):

Numerical Model ◽

Lake Michigan ◽

Lake Superior ◽

Flow Regulation ◽

Water Levels ◽

Ice Breakup ◽

Model Study ◽

Flow Limit ◽

Ice Conditions ◽

Numerical Model Study

Improved regulation of the wintertime flow from Lake Superior is needed to improve the balance of water levels of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan–Huron to decrease the frequency of extreme levels without unduly affecting Lake Superior interest. The wintertime outflow limit is set as 2410 m3/s by Lake Superior Regulation Plan 1977-A as a result of ice jam flooding during the 1916–1917 winter. This paper presents a numerical model study on the ice conditions in the St. Marys River to assess the maximum allowable Lake Superior wintertime outflow. Freeze-up, frazil transport and accumulation, and breakup were simulated with a thermal-ice dynamic model. The highest potential for flooding exists during ice breakup and simulations were run to determine a safe discharge limit for the breakup period. Simulations indicated the winter flow limit may be increased to 2690 m3/s if flow regulation is managed with care to prevent premature ice cover breakup.

Download Full-text

Simulating the effects of climate change on the ice regime of the Peace River

Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering ◽

10.1139/l07-129 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 35 (5) ◽

pp. 461-472 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

R. Andrishak ◽

F. Hicks

Keyword(s):

Elevated Temperatures ◽

Climate Model ◽

Global Climate Model ◽

Critical Time ◽

Future Climate ◽

Climate Simulation ◽

River Ice ◽

Peace River ◽

Ice Conditions ◽

Ice Regime

Winter can be a critical time on many rivers, during which ice conditions and a number of environmental factors can lead to rapidly developing and damaging flood events. Also, in northern Canada, rivers are important for both summer (ferry) and winter (ice bridge) transportation; however, during periods of variable ice conditions these transportation links are temporarily interrupted. As a result, northern communities can become isolated for periods of time. With climate warming becoming an increasing concern, it is important to know how elevated temperatures might affect river ice covers so that we can assess the implications for ice jam events, hydropower dam operation, and winter transportation. The Peace River in northern British Columbia and Alberta was used as a case study in this paper to assess the validity of a newly developed, public domain, thermo-hydraulic river ice model, River1D. The Canadian second-generation coupled global climate model (CGCM2) provided an offset for the historical air temperature input, and a future climate analogue for the mid-21st century ice regime was generated. The historical and future climate simulation results indicated significant potential reductions in the duration and extent of ice cover on the Peace River and a longer period over which the river will be impassible by ferry or ice bridge. Specifically, the number of days an ice bridge could be sustained at the Shaftesbury Ferry site was shown to decrease by 60% to 78%.

Download Full-text

Impact of climate change on ice regime in a river regulated for hydropower

Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering ◽

10.1139/cjce-2014-0261 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 42 (9) ◽

pp. 634-644 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Netra P. Timalsina ◽

Knut T. Alfredsen ◽

Ånund Killingtveit

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

General Circulation ◽

Model Simulation ◽

Regulated River ◽

River Ice ◽

Impact Of Climate Change ◽

The Future ◽

Ice Conditions ◽

Ice Regime ◽

The Impact

The ice conditions in a regulated river will depend on the climatic changes as well as the changes to the hydropower operation strategies in the future. The existing literature shows that very few studies have been carried out to investigate the impact of climate change on the river ice regime, which is important for operation of hydropower in cold climates. In this study, a series of modelling tools have been used to transform the climate change signal in terms of precipitation and air temperature into cross-section based river ice assessment in a basin with a complicated hydropower system. The study is based on the EURO-CORDEX climate change data extracted from a regional climate model driven by a suite of five general circulation models with three representative concentration pathways. Hydrological model simulation results show that the winter and spring flow will be increased, which will have an impact on the river ice conditions towards the middle and end of this century. Reservoir-hydropower model simulation shows that the production flows in the winter will be increased in the future. River ice model simulation shows the number of days with freezing water temperature are reduced in the future climate, and correspondingly days with frazil ice are reduced at most of the locations in the study area. The future period with ice cover will also be shortened. The paper also demonstrates a general methodology and procedure to simulate future ice conditions in a regulated river combining multiple models and data sets.

Download Full-text

Ice and ship effects on the St. Marys River ice booms

Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering ◽

10.1139/l78-026 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 222-230 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Roscoe E. Perham

Keyword(s):

Environmental Effects ◽

Impact Load ◽

Lake Superior ◽

Water Levels ◽

Acceptable Level ◽

Lake Huron ◽

The West ◽

Measuring Devices ◽

Pertinent Data ◽

Ice Conditions

The St. Marys River connects Lake Superior with Lake Huron. It contains many navigation improvements that make it an important commercial shipping route. The operation of ships in winter tinder a federal (USA) program to extend the navigation season has led to troublesome ice movements and accumulations. To help conteract these effects, two ice booms with a 250 ft (76 m) wide navigation opening between their adjacent ends were installed at the southerly outlet from the harbor at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Ontario.The ice booms contained six force measuring devices. Records of these forces and pertinent data on the weather, water levels, ship passages, and ice conditions were kept the following winter of 1975–1976.The ice booms reduced the harbor ice losses to an acceptable level and provided much information about their interactions with the ice cover and the ships. Ship and environmental effects kept the ice behind the west boom broken-free from shore and moveable much of the winter. The maximum force measured in the west boom was 88 000 lb (391 kN) and the maximum in the east boom was an impact load of about 160 000 lb (712 kN). The forces associated with ship passages averaged 25 000 lb (111 kN).

Download Full-text

Analysis of ice conditions of year-round navigation of Arc7 vessels in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea

Arctic and Antarctic Research ◽

10.30758/0555-2648-2021-67-3-236-248 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 67 (3) ◽

pp. 236-248

Author(s):

T. A. Alekseeva ◽

S. V. Frolov ◽

V. Ye. Fedyakov ◽

E. I. Makarov ◽

E. U. Mironov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Kara Sea ◽

Southwestern Part ◽

The North ◽

Northern Sea Route ◽

Ice Conditions ◽

Ice Regime ◽

Ice Navigation ◽

New Generation ◽

Hydrometeorological Conditions

Since 2006, a new generation of reinforced ice class Arc7 vessels has been operating on the Northern Sea Route. Safe and efficient sailing of this type of vessels in sea ice demands a detailed study of ice conditions. Accumulation and analysis of data on ice and hydrometeorological conditions for the entire Arctic in comparison with ice conditions along the route of vessels is an essential part of the development of optimal variants and optimal routes for ice navigation.The main aim of the study was to generalize the conditions of ice navigation of Norilskiy Nickel vessels along the optimal navigational routes in the south-western part of the Kara Sea. Based on the reports on sailing obtained from vessels of the “Norilskiy Nickel” type for the 2006–2014 period, we calculated the probability of choosing the optimal route along the Murmansk – Dudinka passage: through the Kara Gate Strait (seaward, central or coastal route) or the north of Cape Zhelaniya. During the year, vessels move predominantly through the Kara Gate. However, for three month per year, from April to June, the most appropriate route lies to the north of the Zhelaniya Cape. In April – May it is, on average, every second navigation, and in June – more than 80 % of all navigation. The features of the ice regime determining the choice of the specific navigation route, are described. The speeds of vessels of the “Norilskiy Nickel” type along various navigation routes in drifting sea ice of the Kara Sea are calculated. The fastest speed in drifting ice was recorded in the winter navigations of 2007–2008 and 2011–2012, in the January-May of these years the average speed was 10.2 and 11.2, correspondingly. The minimum speed in these years, even during the months of maximum ice cover growth, was not less than 4.8 knots. In other years, the average speeds were in the range of 9.2–9.8 knots. During the whole period of study, ice conditions that were extremely difficult for navigation formed three times: at the end of May 2009, at the end of March 2010 and in the middle of March 2011, these are considered in more detail in the present article.

Download Full-text

EXTREME WAVE PRESSURES AND LOADS ON A PILE-SUPPORTED WHARF DECK - INFLUENCES OF AIR GAP AND WAVE DIRECTION

Coastal Engineering Proceedings ◽

10.9753/icce.v36.waves.5 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 5

Author(s):

Andrew Cornett

Keyword(s):

Offshore Structures ◽

Model Tests ◽

Scale Model ◽

Extreme Waves ◽

Wave Direction ◽

Coastal Structures ◽

Extreme Wave ◽

Wave Impact ◽

The Past ◽

Water Depths

Many deck-on-pile structures are located in shallow water depths at elevations low enough to be inundated by large waves during intense storms or tsunami. Many researchers have studied wave-in-deck loads over the past decade using a variety of theoretical, experimental, and numerical methods. Wave-in-deck loads on various pile supported coastal structures such as jetties, piers, wharves and bridges have been studied by Tirindelli et al. (2003), Cuomo et al. (2007, 2009), Murali et al. (2009), and Meng et al. (2010). All these authors analyzed data from scale model tests to investigate the pressures and loads on beam and deck elements subject to wave impact under various conditions. Wavein- deck loads on fixed offshore structures have been studied by Murray et al. (1997), Finnigan et al. (1997), Bea et al. (1999, 2001), Baarholm et al. (2004, 2009), and Raaij et al. (2007). These authors have studied both simplified and realistic deck structures using a mixture of theoretical analysis and model tests. Other researchers, including Kendon et al. (2010), Schellin et al. (2009), Lande et al. (2011) and Wemmenhove et al. (2011) have demonstrated that various CFD methods can be used to simulate the interaction of extreme waves with both simple and more realistic deck structures, and predict wave-in-deck pressures and loads.

Download Full-text