Plasticity of Ice and Sand-Ice Systems

The experimental deformation of ice and sand-ice systems is compared with predictions based upon plasticity theory. Properties of the materials were determined under various temperatures, confining pressures, and loading rates using conventional triaxial compression tests. Samples were indented at atmospheric pressure using flat punches and sharp wedges at two loading rates and calculated force-displacement relationships were determined for the von Mises, coulomb, and parabolic yield conditions. Comparison of the results of the experiments with the computations indicates that the force-displacement relationships for ice and sand-ice samples can be approximated using plasticity theory.