Model test study of the interaction between ice and a compliant vertical narrow structure

From 2004 to 2005, a series of model tests were performed to explore the mechanism that controls the procedure of ice induced vibration of vertical narrow pile. The interaction of ice and structure was found to be the control mechanism in the model test study, and the intermittent ductile–brittle crushing was also found to be the most important characteristic in the process of interaction. Based on this important phenomenon, a new concept – interaction coefficient – was set up in this paper. This parameter directly reflects the interaction level of ice and structure.