High pressure zone formation during compressive ice failure

An understanding of the mechanics and physics of the formation of the high pressure zones that form during ice-structure interactions is sought. The influences of time, temperature and scale on the formation of these high pressure zones are explored in this paper. Line-like and localized high pressure contact zones are modeled via elastic-brittle hollow cylinder and hollow sphere idealizations, respectively. For both simultaneous and non-simultaneous contact, the critical lengths of stable cracking that may occur prior to flaking and flexural failure are strongly linked to the current level of specific pressure parameters for both line-like and localized high pressure zones. The stability aspects of the inplane cracking, and the link between the maximum possible crack lengths and the relative magnitudes of the local and far-field pressures help explain the transitions observed within the realms of ductile, intermittent, and brittle crushing. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.