While the macroscopic mechanical properties of pure ice has been investigated by laboratory tests and its behavior has been characterized by existing fracture mechanics models, the effect of environmental conditions — such as the concentration of embedded carbon dioxide (CO2) — is not fully understood. It is known that the chemical environment can have significant effects on the mechanical properties of ice. Using full atomistic molecular dynamics (MD), we probe the tensile strength of a single ice crystal. We systematically introduce a random concentration of CO2 molecules by replacing H2O molecules on the ice crystal lattice (e.g., substitutional defects). As anticipated, we observe a drop in strength with an increase in CO2 concentration. The decreased ice strength is not merely caused by material defects induced by the CO2 inclusions, but rather by the fact that the strength of hydrogen bonds — the chemical bonds between water molecules in an ice crystal — is actively disrupted under increasing concentrations of CO2. The inclusions provide both stress concentrations and nucleation points for crack/void formation. We then assume a Poisson distribution to reflect various concentrations of CO2 and apply nanoscale Weibull statistics (NWS) as a brittle material failure model. The results can be used to help predict the strength range of bulk ice.
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ASME 2015 34th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering
May 31–June 5, 2015
St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
Conference Sponsors:
- Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-5656-7
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Statistical Nanomechanics of Ice and Effect of Embedded Carbon Dioxide
Steven W. Cranford
Steven W. Cranford
Northeastern University, Boston, MA
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Steven W. Cranford
Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Paper No:
OMAE2015-41027, V008T07A017; 10 pages
Published Online:
October 21, 2015
Citation
Cranford, SW. "Statistical Nanomechanics of Ice and Effect of Embedded Carbon Dioxide." Proceedings of the ASME 2015 34th International Conference on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering. Volume 8: Ian Jordaan Honoring Symposium on Ice Engineering. St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. May 31–June 5, 2015. V008T07A017. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/OMAE2015-41027
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