Process of failure in ice

Information is presented on the failure behavior of columnar-grained ice during compressive creep and constant strain rate tests. The role of crack formation in establishing the failure condition is briefly described. Breakdown of structure is responsible for a marked change in the creep behavior of ice in the stress range of 10 to 12 kg/cm 2 . A ductile-to-brittle transition is observed at a strain rate of about 5 × 10 −3 min −1 . The upper yield stress in constant strain rate tests is shown to increase with increase in rate of strain up to the ductile-to-brittle transition.