Abstract
The Dynamics of Iceberg Grounding and Scouring (DIGS) experiment was conducted in the Labrador Sea during August 1985. The objectives of the experiment were to obtain full-scale data sets documenting iceberg/seabed interactions, and to obtain by direct observation new information regarding the processes of iceberg scour formation and degradation. Utilizing a vessel and a helicopter, measurements were made of icebergs’ above and below-water shapes, plus local winds, waves, currents and tides. Special self-contained motion monitoring packages were deployed by helicopter on icebergs thought to be good grounding candidates. Seabed observations were made directly using the submersible Pisces IV, and extensive side-scan sonar data were collected. This paper describes two dynamic iceberg/seabed interaction events documented during DIGS: the roll/pitting behavior of the 1.2-million-ton domed iceberg “Bertha,” and the split/grounding behavior of the 7.7-million-ton tabular iceberg “Gladys.” This latter event is particularly interesting due to its very energetic nature, and the fact that it represents the only full-scale observation of any iceberg impact with sufficient documentation to yield estimates of the interaction forces. Subsequent to the experiment, the recorded above and below-water shapes were used to obtain hydrostatic stability maps for these icebergs. A time stepping procedure was also developed to re-create these two dynamic events, and comparisons between the observed and simulated motions are provided in this paper.
