Abstract
Static ice loads are a significant aspect of the design of hydropower dams in Norway due to their low height. Results are presented from a preliminary study to investigate whether elastic foam could be used to reduce static ice loads. Frames with stress cells were mounted on the dam at Taraldsvikfossen reservoir near Narvik in the winter of 2016/17, with some frames covered by closed-cell elastic foam. Ice loads were due to thermal events and water level changes. In the presented measurements, the magnitude of stresses on foam-covered frames was typically 10% of the magnitude of the stresses at the reference frame.