Author(s): D. S. Sodhi; D. Carter
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: We briefly describe a field program to measure both the ice thrust on dam walls and stress in the middle of an ice sheet. On the basis of good correlation found between the development of ice thrust and the rise in water level in a reservoir, and observations of parallel cracks along a dam wall, we present two theoretical models. The first estimates the upper bound force per unit width for the rotation of an ice floe between two parallel cracks, and the second is for buckling of two ice floes between three parallel cracks. We consider the wedging action attributable to the rotation of ice blocks in both cases. We postulate that it is possible for wedging to develop during the rotation of an ice floe between two cracks, but this possibility is small for two ice floes in a buckled position between three cracks. For the case of two ice floes between three parallel cracks, the estimated thrust from gravitational forces is close to the maximum ice thrust measured at two sites.
Year: 1998