Dynamic compression behavior of columnar freshwater ice at intermediate strain rates

Abstract

Understanding the dynamic response of ice is essential for modeling ice‑related engineering problems. In this study, the dynamic compressive behavior of columnar freshwater ice at temperatures from -10 to -50°C and strain rates of 6 to 250 s^-1 is obtained using a cryogenic split Hopkinson pressure bar. The effects of crystal orientation, strain rate, and temperature on the mechanical response of the ice are investigated. The results show that the strengths of ice at 0° and 90° crystal orientation increase with increasing strain rate and decreasing temperature. In addition, the columnar ice exhibits pronounced anisotropy. The peak strength at 0° orientation is significantly higher than at 90° orientation, with a near-constant strength ratio of 1.45. The failure mode of the ice is also orientation‑controlled, with axial splitting at 0°orientation and oblique shear banding at 90° orientation. A unified strength scaling law is developed, incorporating ice texture, strain rate, and temperature, and it successfully captures dynamic strength data from both the literature and the present study. This work advances the understanding of the dynamic behavior of ice and provides a unified constitutive model for analyzing ice-structure interactions.