Further research and new plans This is a proposal for the design and construct of the highest shell structure in ice by the Structural Ice Association. We invite universities, schools and volunteers to participate in this international project. After our projects in Juuka, Finland, we intend to continue our ice research with a large project in a more stable and cold climate. In Harbin, in the Northeast of China, an annual ice festival takes place. It is the largest ice festival in the world where huge ice towers of solid blocks of ice are built. This would be an excellent location for our research. Therefore we have contacted Harbin Institute of Technology (H.I.T). Professor Yue Wu and Phd student Qingpeng Li of the School of Civil Engineering at H.I.T. supports our initiative. The university invited Arno Pronk to give a summer course of two weeks on ice structures in July 2016. During this visit the project in the winter of 2017/2018 described below can be discussed and arranged. For the design proposal for the Harbin Ice Festival the following aspects have been taken into account: • International cooperation • Showcase for research on reinforced ice • • • • • Shell structures instead of solid ice Inspired on traditional Chinese towers Inspired on European design tradition and culture Ability to compete with the enormous structures of the Harbin Ice Festival Short construction period • Safety • Maximum exposure • “Solid” structure with low risk for failure The design consists of a 30-meter high vertical tube with six entrances. The design is a modern version of a traditional Chinese tower and also refers to a fl amenco dress. To enter the centre of the tower the audience has to climb one of the six staircases made of transparent solid ice blocks. The ice blocks in the staircases are illuminated similarly to most of the solid ice structures in the ice festival (see Fig. 4). In the evening an uplighter at the bottom of the tower will illuminate the sky. The shell of the structure will be constructed by cellulose-reinforced ice. The composite will be sprayed on an infl atable. The infl atable will be removed after fi nishing the ice shell. The aim of this project is to gain more knowledge about the creep behavior of ice and ice composites and the engineering and construction of thin-shell ice structures. Besides the structure will be a new record for highest shell structure in ice. It is our goal to realize the Flamenco Ice Project by an international team consisting of professors, researchers and students from universities all over the world. You are invited to join us. For more information, please visit our website: www.structuralice.com 56
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