Author(s): Samuel J. Defranco; John P. Dempsey
Linked Author(s): John Dempsey
Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The effects of specimen size, temperature and loading rate on the fracture toughness of saline ice are examined experimentally and a nonlinear size effect law, which has proved quite successful for concrete, rocks and mortar, is calibrated by the experimental results. The calculated fracture toughness values as well as the size effect law, show little size effect despite the observation of severe damage ahead of the crack tip. The lack of a size effect is believed to result from too small a size range. Additionally, the smallest size tested may represent pseudo-single crystal behavior instead of the polycrystalline behavior of larger specimens; consequently, the need for intermediate and large scale fracture tests is emphasized. In order to examine fracture resistance and size effects in a different manner, a cohesive crack model is presented with results from preliminary experiments.
Year: 1992