Ice engineering depends on good field data, and collecting that data on sea ice is a technical and logistical challenge in its own right. Built around sea-ice field data gathered on Svalbard between 2011 and 2013, this applied course in Arctic offshore engineering teaches how campaigns are organised and kept safe, how polygon surveys are run, how ice cores are characterised, how compression and friction tests are done and how ice loads are measured. It shows how a field campaign is organised around the Svalbard field site and its hazards, how snow depth, freeboard and ice thickness are measured systematically, how temperature, salinity, density and porosity are derived from cores, and how mechanical tests reveal anisotropy, failure behaviour and scatter. It then covers friction testing, ice-load measurements around a quay structure, repeated fjord surveys, measurement uncertainty and improvements to field methods, linking field observations to engineering loads.
Course at a glance: Duration 20 hours · Self-paced online · 9 sections, 28 lessons, a 130-page downloadable course book
What you will learn
- Evaluate Arctic field-site logistics, hazards and HSE controls for a sea-ice engineering campaign.
- Apply polygon-based sampling and georeferencing to snow depth, freeboard and ice thickness surveys.
- Derive temperature, salinity, density and porosity profiles from ice cores using physical relationships.
- Analyse compression test results to explain strength anisotropy, failure modes and scatter.
- Explain the purpose, procedure and uncertainty of sea-ice friction tests.
- Assess how field observations around structures translate into engineering ice loads.
- Evaluate measurement uncertainty and propose improvements to field methods.
Inside the course: a high-level summary, section by section.
The Svalbard field site and campaign planning
The course begins with the field site. Svalbard’s climate is shaped by two competing effects: although it lies far north, the North Atlantic Current tempers the climate and keeps nearby seas largely ice-free for much of the year, so sea ice is found mostly in protected fjords. These conditions influenced what could be measured and how the fieldwork was organised.
Arctic hazards include extreme cold, thin or unstable ice, whiteout, wildlife such as polar bears and the remoteness of rescue. The health, safety and environment programme is presented as an integrated readiness check covering cold-weather survival, firearms and wildlife awareness, transport by snow scooter, communications and emergency procedures. The fieldwork sequence shows how activities are planned and ordered so that measurements are collected efficiently and safely.
Polygon surveys
Snow depth, freeboard and ice thickness form a trio of measurements that matter because together they describe the ice cover and its buoyancy balance. Freeboard, the height of the ice surface above the waterline, depends on ice thickness, snow load and density. Polygon design defines a structured pattern of measurement points so that spatial variability can be captured and results can be compared between sites and years. The measurement workflow covers drilling, measuring and georeferencing, and survey results show how ice and snow vary across a fjord.
Ice core physical properties
Ice cores provide vertical profiles of physical properties. The standard workflow covers core extraction, immediate temperature measurement, sectioning, melting for salinity measurement and density determination. Temperature profiles are typically close to linear between the cold surface and the water at the base. Salinity and density vary with depth and age of the ice. Porosity formulations combine temperature, salinity and density to estimate brine and air volume fractions, which strongly influence strength. Data quality checks identify problems such as brine drainage during handling and measurement errors.
Compression testing
Uniaxial compression tests are carried out in the field using a portable test rig. Specimens cut in different orientations reveal strength anisotropy: columnar sea ice is typically stronger when loaded along the long axis of its crystals than across them. Failure behaviour varies from ductile to brittle depending on loading rate, temperature and orientation. Elastic modulus estimates and the substantial scatter in strength results are discussed, highlighting why ice strength must be treated statistically. Specimen preparation, temperature control, loading rate and the alignment of the test rig all influence results, so the course stresses careful documentation of test conditions. Without that context, strength values cannot be compared reliably between campaigns or transferred to design, and an apparently precise number may give a misleading sense of certainty.
Friction testing
Ice friction influences ice loads on sloping structures and ship hulls, as well as ice ride-up and rubble behaviour. The course explains the purpose of friction tests, field procedures for measuring friction between ice and different surfaces, and the sources of uncertainty, such as surface condition, temperature, sliding speed and normal load.
Ice loads around a quay structure
Field measurements around a quay show how ice interacts with a real structure. Measurements around a bustle, a projecting part of the structure at the waterline, provide data on ice action and ice rubble. The course explains how field observations are translated into engineering loads, connecting field methods with the design methods taught in earlier Arctic courses.
Repeated surveys and uncertainty
Repeated fjord surveys across several seasons reveal year-to-year variability in ice conditions, which affects design statistics. Measurement uncertainty, arising from instruments, sampling, spatial variability and human factors, is analysed, and method improvements are proposed to increase reliability and efficiency in future campaigns.
How fieldwork supports design
The course emphasises that design methods and codes depend on reliable field data. Ice thickness distributions, strength statistics, friction coefficients and observed interaction behaviour all feed into the parameters engineers use in load calculations. Understanding how those data were collected, and the uncertainty associated with them, allows engineers to judge whether published values are appropriate for a particular site and to design measurement campaigns that close important knowledge gaps. It also highlights the value of consistent methods across years and sites: data collected with a documented, repeatable procedure can be combined into a growing database, while ad hoc measurements often cannot be compared at all.
Why this matters in practice
Arctic projects increasingly require site-specific ice data. Engineers who understand field methods can plan safe and productive campaigns, interpret field reports critically, quantify uncertainty and use the results confidently in design. Field skills are also valuable for researchers and consultants working on climate monitoring, ice navigation and coastal infrastructure in cold regions, where the same measurement techniques and the same attention to safety and data quality apply.
Key takeaways
You leave able to plan Arctic field campaigns with appropriate HSE controls, carry out and interpret polygon surveys, derive ice core properties, analyse compression and friction tests, relate field observations to ice loads and evaluate measurement uncertainty.
How you study
The course is delivered fully online and is self-paced, so you can fit roughly 20 hours of study around professional commitments. Lessons combine clear explanation with examples, diagrams and short interactive checks, and the main sections end with graded quizzes (7 in total) so you can confirm you can apply each method before moving on. A 130-page course book can be downloaded and printed for offline reading and later reference.
Course contents
- Field Context and HSE: Arctic Sea-Ice Fieldwork; Svalbard Field Site; Arctic Hazards; Fieldwork Sequence
- Polygon Survey Methods: Why the Trio Matters; Polygon Design; Measurement Workflow; Survey Results
- Ice-Core Physical Properties: STD Core Workflow; Temperature Profiles; Salinity and Density; Porosity Formulations; Property Data Quality
- Compression Testing: Kompis Test Setup; Strength Anisotropy; Failure Behaviour; Modulus and Scatter
- Friction and Ridge Mechanics: Friction Test Purpose; Field Test Procedure; Uncertainty in Friction
- Ice Loads at Kapp Amsterdam: Quay Ice Setting; Bustle Measurements; From Field Data to Loads
- Monitoring and Recommendations: Repeated Fjord Surveys; Measurement Uncertainty; Method Improvements
- Summary: Key Takeaways
Who this course is for
This intermediate course is for engineering graduates, practising engineers and researchers working on Arctic offshore, coastal or ice engineering projects who need to plan, carry out or interpret sea-ice field measurements. Learners need an engineering degree or equivalent, and either Arctic Offshore Engineering Parts 1 and 2 or comparable knowledge of ice mechanics and fieldwork.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Arctic Offshore Engineering Part 3 Fieldwork take?
The course is designed for about 20 hours of study. It is self-paced and fully online, so you can spread it over a few weeks or complete it more quickly.
What is covered?
The course is organised into 9 sections with 28 lessons, moving from foundations to applied methods, as summarised above.
Is there material to keep after the course?
Yes. A downloadable 130-page course book accompanies the lessons for offline reading and later reference.
How is progress checked?
Each main section closes with a graded quiz (7 in total). The quizzes test understanding of the concepts and methods explained in the lessons rather than memorisation, and you can review the relevant lessons before attempting them.
Can I record this study for my own professional development?
Yes. The course notebook includes a self-assessment of the course objectives before and after study, a reflection page and a learning log, which you can use to keep your own record of professional development.
Duration: 20 hours
Related courses: D11 – Arctic Offshore Engineering Part 1; D12 – Arctic Offshore Engineering Part 2; D07 – Safety in Offshore Engineering; C04 – Probabilistic Design
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Study at your own pace and work through the full course material, worked examples and section quizzes. Enrol in D13 – Arctic Offshore Engineering Part 3 Fieldwork →
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