Quasi-brittle ice breaking mechanisms by high-velocity water jet impacts: An investigation based on PD-SPH coupling model and experiments

Abstract

Ice, a quasi-brittle material with a complex crystal organization and found ubiquitously in nature, undergoes an impact fragmentation process that implies a rich physical mechanism, yet remains not thoroughly elucidated. We develop a highly robust and efficient meshless method for fluid–solid coupling, specifically designed to elucidate the mechanisms of crack propagation in S2 columnar ice subjected to high-speed water jet impacts. This method couples a low-dissipation Riemann smooth particle hydrodynamics approach with a non-ordinary state-based peridynamics model,¹ enabling detailed exploration of fracture process. Our theoretical advancements enhance numerical stability at the fluid–solid interface and establish a precise ice constitutive model by capturing the unique hydrostatic pressure-dependent and rate-dependent plasticity within the peridynamics framework, effectively addressing challenges in both fluid and solid phases. Combined with high-velocity water jet impact experiments, this study successfully delineates the initiation and expansion of circumferential and radial cracks in ice plates. We demonstrate that these cracks, both circumferential and radial, originate from tensile failure induced by circular elastic–plastic stress waves initiated by point source shocks. Specifically, circumferential cracks emerge and propagate from the upper to the lower surface driven by radial tensile stress, while radial cracks, motivated by circumferential tensile stress, develop from the lower to the upper surface. This investigation not only provides a foundational understanding of ice impact fracturing but also establishes a versatile theoretical framework applicable to a wide range of quasi-brittle materials.