One of the widely-used ice resistance prediction methods, introduced by Spencer(1992) of Canada, is reviewed. Spencer''s component-based scaling system for ship-ice model test is analyzed to estimate the ice resistance of various types of icebreaking vessels (Canadian MV Arctic, Terry Fox, R-class, US icebreakers Polar Star and Healy, Russian SA-15 cargo ships, Japanese PM Teshio and one model ship). The general form and the non-dimensional coefficients in ice resistance prediction formula are obtained using the published ice model test and full-scale sea trial data. The applicability of Spencer''s method for the larger icebreaking cargo vessels is discussed.
Resistance is related to propulsion of a ship and it determines the engine power requirement of the ship. Estimation of ship's resistance in ice-covered sea has been a very interesting topic to shipbuilders. There have been many theoretical approaches to estimate the resistance but it is not yet sufficient to say that there is a universally accepted method of predicting ice resistance of ship because ship-ice interaction and icebreaking process are very complicated. In this study, as an effort to find a proper ice prediction formula for icebreaking vessels, especially for large cargo vessels, the ice resistance prediction method, introduced by Spencer of Canada (Spencer, 1992; Spencer and Jones, 2001) is reviewed. Spencer''s component-based scaling system for ship-ice model test is one of the widely-used methods to estimate level ice resistance and was successfully applied to the Canadian R-class icebreaker. In this study Spencer's ice resistance prediction formula is generalized for various types and sizes of icebreaking vessels such as Canadian MV Arctic, Terry Fox, R-class icebreaker, US icebreakers Polar Star and Healy, Russian SA-15 cargo ships, Japanese PM Teshio and one model ship, and the non-dimensional coefficients in ice resistance prediction formula are obtained using the published ice model test and full-scale sea trial data.
