Bonded particle simulation of fragmenting ice blocks

This paper describes bonded particle method-based modeling of ice blocks failing under compressive ice-to-ice contacts. Ice block contacts transmit ice loads; thus, local failure of ice blocks has an important role in ice-structure interaction processes. The model is shortly described and laboratory-scale experiments on saline ice block failure are modeled. Simulations yield results, which compare well with the experiments in terms of failure patterns and the force transmitted by the contacts. The local failure of the ice blocks at the contacts occurs predominately by a shear-like failure governed by the bulk strength of the material with characteristics of Coulombic shear faults. The results imply that the traditional crushing dominated failure models for local failure at the contacts of ice blocks in numerical simulations might not be valid. Instead, shear failure of ice should be accounted.