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SAMC
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• ANNUAL REPORT 2013
Quantifying the Physical Environment
Effective operations in ice conditions depend on a correct understanding of the
fundamental characteristics of the physical environment. SAMCoT focusses on carrying
out research in areas that can provide the basis for model development in applied
research.
This research is organized according to the following
topics:
• Beam tests (bending strength)
• indentation tests (crushing)
• Coastal ice and water action
• ice drift
• ice rubble (ice ridges)
• Frozen soils
The research activities in these areas are of direct
importance to the applied research carried out in
the SAMCoT programme. The indentation tests, for
instance, provide a better understanding of the physi-
cal processes appearing when ice crushes against fixed
vertical structures. Efficient navigation in straits and
harbours, to take another example, depends on a proper
understanding of the local water current characteris-
tics. This is especially true in the high north, since the
accumulation of costal ice constitutes a key difference
between Arctic and non-Arctic harbours and coastal
facilities. Also for many Arctic marine structures, ice
ridges give a quasi-static design load, and a proper
quantification depends on a correct understanding of
ice rubble characteristics. The stability of Arctic coasts
strongly depends on the extent and the condition of
the permafrost. The fundamental research involved in
quantifying the behaviour of frozen soil is necessary to
quantify and evaluate the implications of coastal erosion.
All of these research activities necessitated close inter-
institutional collaboration nationally as well as interna-
tionally. Most of the active academic research groups
in the field in Russia are actively participating in the
SAMCoT activities. The research has been carried out
according to a number of methodological approaches,
ranging from laboratory tests to in-situ Arctic ice exper-
iments. A total of 20 researchers were involved in this
year’s activities. Of these, ten researchers were PhD
students at the time and two post. docs., while the rest
were experienced researchers. In sum, the research
carried out under the SAMCoT umbrella constitutes one
of the foremost initiatives globally in addressing funda-
mental research questions relating to ice and Arctic
conditions in order to enable commercial interventions
in the high north.
In the following, we briefly present a summary of the
research procedures, the field activities and the most
important results within each of the fundamental
research areas.