The microstructure of ice and its influence on mechanical properties

Abstract

A sound knowledge of and ability to model the mechanical behavior of ice is a key element in addressing a wide range of needs of the ice research community. Continued advancement requires an understanding of the relationship between microstructure and the flow and fracture of ice under a wide range of conditions. To provide perspective on this relationship, the paper presents a description of the main microstructural types of ice and their origins, and examines current knowledge of the relationship between the microstructure and the flow and fracture of freshwater and sea ice. The influence of microstructure on the components of strain (elastic, anelastic and viscous) receives attention, as does the flaw structure of sea ice and its influence on larger-scale crack propagation. Comments are offered on the nature of the microphysical processes that underlie the viscous deformation of single crystal and polycrystalline ice. Some aspects of the microstructural changes that occur during deformation are also discussed.