An ice breaker (also called a flow breaker or starling) is a form of pier protection in hydraulic engineering: a usually V-shaped addition to a bridge pier. The ice breaker protects the pier against the destructive force of ice floes that the river may carry along, and against backing up, fast-flowing water.
How it works
- The V-shape (or sharp point) faces upstream and cuts approaching ice floes into pieces, so they do not strike the pier with full force
- At the same time the shape splits the current, reducing the pressure and scour around the pier
- The point is often built sloping upward, so the ice is guided up and breaks under its own weight
Application
- Bridges over rivers — especially where drifting ice occurs in winter
- Hydraulic structures — at piers, dolphins and mooring structures in flowing water
The ice breaker is a classic example of hydraulic protection; you see it on many older stone bridges as a triangular nose on the upstream side of the pier.
Points of attention
- The ice breaker must be firmly connected to the pier and able to absorb the impact of the ice
- Protection against scour (erosion) of the bed around the pier remains important too
Related terms
- Bridge
- Pier
- Arch bridge
- Water barrier
- Civil engineering
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