Stress/strain/time relations for ice under uniaxial compression

Results of mechanical tests involving uniaxial compression of isotropic ice at ?5°C were analysed and interpreted. Constant load (CL) creep tests were made for applied stresses in the range 0.8 to 3.8 MPa, and “strength” tests under constant displacement rate (CD) were made for applied strain rates in the range 10^?7 to 10^?3 s^?1. Results from CL tests and CD tests corresponded closely, giving much the same information about failure strains, strength, creep rates, time to failure, stress/strain-rate relations, and suchlike. Empirical stress/strain-rate relations were developed for three distinct states of strain: (1) for the initial yield point, where axial strains are typically of the order of 0.1%, (2) for the ductile yield point, where axial strains are typically of the order of 1%, (3) for an axial strain of 10%. Stress/strain-rate relations and stress/strain relations for constant duration of CL loading were examined for load durations up to half an hour. The elapsed time up to the ductile yield point (～1% strain) was related to stress and to strain rate for CL tests and CD tests, and correspondence of the results was demonstrated both for interrelationship between CL and CD tests and for compatibility with the appropriate stress/strain-rate relations. The elapsed time up to the initial yield point was also considered. It was shown that CD stress/strain curves can be constructed from a suitable family of CL creep curves, and vice versa.The characteristics of CL creep curves and CD stress/strain curves were examined in some detail, considering relations between strain rates for certain identifiable points on creep curves, and relations between stresses for certain identifiable parts of stress/strain curves. Effective values for quasi-elastic moduli were considered. The strains for various critical points were compared with each other and with the strains at which rates of acoustic emissions reach maximum values.