Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice

The proportion of granular ice in sea ice layers has markedly increased due to global warming. To investigate the uniaxial compressive behavior of granular sea ice, we conducted a series of experiments using natural piled and level ice samples collected from the Bohai Sea. A total of 311 specimens w...

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Main Authors: Yubo Liu, Qingkai Wang, Peng Lu, Zhijun Li, Zhixing Li, Zhi Zong, Limin Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/7/1302
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author Yubo Liu
Qingkai Wang
Peng Lu
Zhijun Li
Zhixing Li
Zhi Zong
Limin Zhang
author_facet Yubo Liu
Qingkai Wang
Peng Lu
Zhijun Li
Zhixing Li
Zhi Zong
Limin Zhang
author_sort Yubo Liu
collection DOAJ
description The proportion of granular ice in sea ice layers has markedly increased due to global warming. To investigate the uniaxial compressive behavior of granular sea ice, we conducted a series of experiments using natural piled and level ice samples collected from the Bohai Sea. A total of 311 specimens were tested under controlled temperature conditions ranging from −15 °C to −2 °C and strain rates varying from 10<sup>−5</sup> to 10<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>. The effects of porosity, strain rate, and failure modes were studied. The results show that both the uniaxial compressive strength and uniaxial compressive elastic modulus were dependent on strain rate and porosity. Granular sea ice exhibited a non-monotonic strength dependence on strain rate, with the strength increasing in the ductile regime and decreasing in the brittle regime. In contrast, the elastic modulus increased monotonically with the strain rate. Both the strength and elastic modulus decreased with increasing porosity. Level ice consistently demonstrated higher strength and an elastic modulus than piled ice at equivalent porosities. Unified parametric models were developed to describe both properties across a wide range of strain rates encompassing the ductile-to-brittle (DBT) regime. The experimental results show that, as porosity decreased, the transition strain rate of granular sea ice shifted from 2.34 × 10<sup>−3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at high porosity (45%) to 1.42 × 10<sup>−4</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at low porosity (10%) for level ice and 1.87 × 10<sup>−3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> to 1.19 × 10<sup>−3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> for piled ice. These results were compared with classical columnar ice models. These findings are useful for informing the design of vessel and coastal structures intended for use in ice-covered waters.
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institution DOAJ
issn 2077-1312
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-a30d265e68484dd197459c26e4453d622025-08-20T03:07:58ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122025-07-01137130210.3390/jmse13071302Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level IceYubo Liu0Qingkai Wang1Peng Lu2Zhijun Li3Zhixing Li4Zhi Zong5Limin Zhang6State Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, ChinaSchool of Vehicles and Intelligent Transportation, Fuyao University of Science and Technology, Fuzhou 350109, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coastal and Offshore Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, ChinaThe proportion of granular ice in sea ice layers has markedly increased due to global warming. To investigate the uniaxial compressive behavior of granular sea ice, we conducted a series of experiments using natural piled and level ice samples collected from the Bohai Sea. A total of 311 specimens were tested under controlled temperature conditions ranging from −15 °C to −2 °C and strain rates varying from 10<sup>−5</sup> to 10<sup>−2</sup> s<sup>−1</sup>. The effects of porosity, strain rate, and failure modes were studied. The results show that both the uniaxial compressive strength and uniaxial compressive elastic modulus were dependent on strain rate and porosity. Granular sea ice exhibited a non-monotonic strength dependence on strain rate, with the strength increasing in the ductile regime and decreasing in the brittle regime. In contrast, the elastic modulus increased monotonically with the strain rate. Both the strength and elastic modulus decreased with increasing porosity. Level ice consistently demonstrated higher strength and an elastic modulus than piled ice at equivalent porosities. Unified parametric models were developed to describe both properties across a wide range of strain rates encompassing the ductile-to-brittle (DBT) regime. The experimental results show that, as porosity decreased, the transition strain rate of granular sea ice shifted from 2.34 × 10<sup>−3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at high porosity (45%) to 1.42 × 10<sup>−4</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> at low porosity (10%) for level ice and 1.87 × 10<sup>−3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> to 1.19 × 10<sup>−3</sup> s<sup>−1</sup> for piled ice. These results were compared with classical columnar ice models. These findings are useful for informing the design of vessel and coastal structures intended for use in ice-covered waters.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/7/1302granular sea iceuniaxial compressive strengthelastic modulusstrain rateporosity
spellingShingle Yubo Liu
Qingkai Wang
Peng Lu
Zhijun Li
Zhixing Li
Zhi Zong
Limin Zhang
Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
granular sea ice
uniaxial compressive strength
elastic modulus
strain rate
porosity
title Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice
title_full Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice
title_fullStr Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice
title_full_unstemmed Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice
title_short Mechanical Properties of Granular Sea Ice Under Uniaxial Compression: A Comparison of Piled and Level Ice
title_sort mechanical properties of granular sea ice under uniaxial compression a comparison of piled and level ice
topic granular sea ice
uniaxial compressive strength
elastic modulus
strain rate
porosity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/7/1302
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