Model test study of the nonsimultaneous failure of ice before wide conical structures

From 2007 to 2008, a series of model tests were performed to observe the ice failure before wide conical structures. The variable testing parameters include the water line diameter of the model cone and ice speed. When D/h > 25, the failures of ice wedges around the cone start to behave nonsimultaneously in these tests. The rubble piece size and the ride-up height were found to have linear relationships with the ratio of D/h in the tests. Several independent zones of bending were found in the nonsimultaneous failure process of ice. With the increasing of the ratio of D/h and the number of independent zones, the total ice force was found being reduced by degrees.