Numerical Simulation of Icebreaking by Underwater-Explosion Bubbles and Compressed-Gas Bubbles Based on the ALE Method

Icebreaking by using underwater explosion bubbles and compressed high-pressure gas bubbles has gradually become an effective icebreaking method. In order to compare the damaging effect of these two methods on the ice body, a fluid–structure coupling model was established based on the arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method and a series of calculations were carried out. The morphological changes of underwater explosion bubbles and compressed gas bubbles at the same energy under the free surface; the changes of flow load near the rigid wall; and the damage caused to the ice plate were studied and compared. The damage effect of the ice plate was analyzed by detecting the number of failure elements of the ice plate, and the optimum standoff distance was found. For an ice plate with a radius of 0.19 m and a thickness of 0.15 m, the optimum standoff distance of the compressed gas bubbles with 120 J is 0.03 m, and the optimum standoff distance of the TNT with 120 J is 0.02875 m. The similarities and differences of the two sources of bubbles on ice plate damage were summarized.