Global and Structural Performance of a TEMPSC in Pressured Ice

In the winter of 2002 BMT Fleet Technology undertook a full scale test program as part of a Joint Industry Project to assess the survivability of a Totally Enclosed Motor Propelled Survival Craft (TEMPSC) in ice covered water. The project was provided a Schat-Harding KISS 800 TEMPSC that was subsequently outfitted with a set of instrumentation to measure strain, hull deflection, heave, pitch and roll of the hull. The TEMPSC was launched in Northumberland Strait between PEI and Nova Scotia. Strain and deflection data was successfully recorded for a period of 9 days, which included several significant pressure events. After the completion of the trials, a non-linear finite element model of the TEMPSC was developed, using material properties developed from destructive testing of the TEMSPC. The model was used to estimate the line loads placed on the hull and to investigate the role of the hull construction in the TEMPSC’s ability to resist ice loading during pressure events. This paper discusses the general conduct of the trials and the findings from both the trials measurements and the finite element model.