Supervisors: Knut Alfredsen, Einar Rødtang
During winter, ice exerts static and dynamic loads on structures in rivers, of particular interest are loads during ice breakup. These loads depend strongly on the upstream distribution of ice thickness and ice strength.
However, most river ice research has been carried out in low gradient rivers. It is known that steep rivers exhibit a range of interesting phenomena that cause much more complex ice distributions than what you observe in low gradient rivers. Most Norwegian river structures are in steep rivers.
Failure to adequately predict ice distributions may result in overly expensive structures and in the worst-case, failure of structures.
The objective of this project is to deduce distributions of ice thickness and ice strength in steep rivers. And furthermore, to determine how these distributions vary with the temperature history and hydraulic parameters of the river. Conclusions from this project will feed into ongoing PhD research and help update the Norwegian guidelines for construction of structures in Norwegian rivers.
The project will involve carrying out fieldwork in the Sokna and Gaula rivers. This work will include drone surveys, ice core sampling and manual ice thickness measurements. All necessary equipment to carry out this work will be provided, and it will not be necessary to spend the night on location to complete the work.
A cold room with the necessary equipment to carry crush tests of ice and thin section work will be provided.
There will be an opportunity to participate in the IAHR International symposium on ice.