An ice floe of length 3 m is subjected to a sea wave of the same wavelength. (b) Approximate free-body diagram of the ice floe:
w is the weight force per unit length of the ice floe, and pt and pb are the water pressure (relative to the surface air pressure) force per unit
length acting at the top and bottom, respectively, of the ice floe. The horizontal forces due to water pressure acting on the sides of the ice floe
are neglected. The loads are symmetrical about the centre at x = 1.5 m.
The break-up of ice floes by sea waves in the polar regions impacts the climate. Consider a simple model of this break up in figure 2(a), where
an ice floe is subjected to a sea wave, resulting in the loads described by the approximate free-body diagram in figure 2(b).
Draw two free-body diagrams to calculate the shear force and bending moment as a function of x, first for 0 0.75 m of the diagrams without providing any further steps. Find the x-location and value of the maximum bending moment.

 

Sea wave (b) Ice floe 1kN/m 7kN/m 12kN/m 3m 0.75m 0.75m -Pt(x) Zpb(x) I 3kN/m