Abstract
A re-examination of the literature has revealed two kinds of compressive shear faults in terrestrial ice when rapidly loaded under triaxial states of stress. One kind, termed a Coulombic or C-fault, develops under lower degrees of confinement and (at 263 K) is typically inclined by 28–30° to the direction of shortening. The other kind, termed a plastic or P-fault, develops under higher confinements and is inclined by 45°. The C–P transition occurs when confinement becomes sufficiently large to suppress frictional crack sliding. A criterion (upper limit) is given, in terms of the coefficient of internal friction, that defines the transition in terms of the ratio of minimum to maximum principal stress at failure. Plastic faulting, it is suggested, is caused by adiabatic softening. The role of shear faulting in ice mechanics is discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
