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reliability and optimizing design of structures operat
ing in polar ice environments “We depend on full-scale
experiences with real structures to obtain satisfactory
sources of knowledge,” he said.
The SPRS supports polar research into the Arctic and
Antarctic regions. In 2012, NTNU and SPRS established
the “Nordic Cooperation in Polar Research”.
“We acted swiftly when presented with the opportunity
to conduct our study aboard the Oden. It makes its way
through ice two metres thick, allowing access to other
wise unreachable areas,” said Raed Lubbad, project
leader on OATRC2012 and an associate professor at
NTNU’s Department of Civil Engineering.
The Oden, a 9,438 gross tonnage icebreaker commis
sioned by the Swedish Maritime Administration in 1988,
was more recently re-commissioned as a research
vessel for independent expeditions into polar ice packs.
It was the first non-nuclear surface vessel to reach the
North Pole in 1991 alongside the Polarstern, a German ice
breaker.
The expedition was vital for educational purposes,
said Dr. Lubbad: “After taking part in such a field trip,
students come back with a more realistic view of the
Arctic and a better understanding of their research
topics. In other words, they become grown-ups.”
The research programme focused on 10 distinct goals
and its 27 researchers, primarily PhD candidates from
SAMCoT, adhered to a meticulous activity plan mindfully
established to study the properties of the ice and the
metocean conditions, as well as to analyse the ship
performance in different ice management scenarios.
“During the operation, we moored Oden in the ice to
establish ice stations and measured sea-ice strength,
friction and drift. Ice ridges were also studied using
drilling strings and underwater cameras. We used
upward looking sonars to provide statistics on ice thick
ness and ice drift speeds. We also used electromagnetic
antennas and a system of video cameras to monitor the
ice and study the ice-ship interaction. In addition, we
used modern technologies to deploy ice drift trackers
on icebergs and sea ice to observe drift patterns, speed
and how they behave in ocean currents. Further, multi-
beam sonar was used to map the seabed. Also of consid
erable importance, we applied acoustic measurers to
establish the degree of noise at varying distances when
an icebreaker breaks up an ice sheet. This information
can be interpreted for instance in the study of explora
tion’s impact on whales,” Dr. Lubbad said.
“Our scientists at SAMCoT will continue to evaluate
our findings and monitor sonars placed at four differ
ent locations on the seabed, giving us profiles of the ice
drifting over them. This information will reveal to us
48 SAMCoT • Annual report 2012
Ice station during OATRC2012
Photo: Øyvind Hagen, Statoil
Photo: Øyvind Hagen, Statoil
A grounded Iceberg North East of Greenland.