Experimental study of high-velocity impact and fracture of ice

This paper presents a series of experiments on high-velocity fracture of ice. Two types of experimental results are examined: standard material characterization under compression, and fracture modes observed under high-velocity impact. These fragmentation modes were observed during impact on rigid supports as well as deformable plates. The dynamic fracture phenomena were analyzed using a Cordin ultrafast imaging system. Two types of ice were tested: equiaxed and monocrystalline ice. The results give valuable information both for the understanding of high-velocity ice fracture mechanisms and for the validation of the computation tools. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.