Flow Characteristics Below Floating Covers with Application to Ice Jams

摘要

The study is composed of two parts. Part I describes an experimental investigation of the stability conditions for floes initially at rest on the underside of a floating cover. An empirical expression for the critical densimetric Froude number, based on flow velocity below the cover and floe thickness, at which floes become unstable is proposed in terms of the floes aspect ratio. Part II presents the results of an extensive laboratory study of the floe characteristics between a floating cover, with emphasis on the friction characteristics of the cover and flume bed. Several roughness conditions of the cover and flume bed were investigated. Empirical expressions for the depths of the bed and cover zones are proposed, and the results of the study are included in a method proposed for the calculation of the non-uniform toe region of wide-river jams.