The Bearing Capacity of Floating Ice Plates Subjected to Static or Quasi-Static Loads

This paper contains a critical survey of the literature on the bearing capacity of floating ice plates. It consists of a discussion of general questions, a critical survey of analytical attempts to determine the bearing capacity of floating ice plates and a survey of field and laboratory tests on floating ice plates and their relation to the analytical results. It concludes with a systematic summary of the results, a discussion of observed shortcomings, and suggestions for needed investigations.