Initial Failure of the Ice Rubble in Plain Strain Direct Shear Tests

A pseudo-discrete continuum model was developed to study the behaviour of ice rubble blocks and particularly theirs initial failure mechanism. The model is a combination of discrete particle assembly generator and Finite Element analysis of this assembly. The model provides a possibility to simulate the contacts (bonds) between the ice blocks. The 2D plane strain direct shear test simulations on the ice rubble were performed. The influence of block size (contact size effect), rubble porosity and normal pressure was investigated. The sensitivity analysis of the input parameters on the overall variability of the model has been carried out. It was shown that the morphological and mechanical properties of the frozen contacts between the ice blocks are important for the strength evaluation and for understanding the deformation behaviour of the ice rubble in the first-year sea ice ridges.