Determination of initial breaking pattern in the bending failure of a semi-infinite ice sheet

There is a growing interest in the development of real-time ice-ship or ice-structure interaction simulators based on theoretical ice sheet bending failure models. The initial ice-structure interaction process is commonly idealized as a bending failure of semi-infinite ice sheets. Existing theoretical models either assume a breaking pattern of radial-before-circumferential cracking, or that of a circumferential-before-radial cracking. However, field observations indicate that the breaking pattern depends on various factors. For generic applications of real-time simulators, the determination of breaking patterns is thus an essential first step towards reasonable ice load predictions. This paper addresses the current research gap by considering a normalized formulation of the ice sheet bending failure. The locations and orientations of the maximum principal stresses at the upper and bottom surfaces of a semi-infinite ice sheet are obtained, from which the criterion for breaking pattern determinations is determined. It is found that factors such as large structure waterline curvature radii, small ice thicknesses, large ice flexural strengths, and small ice compressive strengths induce a breaking pattern of circumferential-before-radial cracking. Conversely, small structure waterline curvature radii, large ice thicknesses, small ice flexural strengths, and large ice compressive strengths result in a breaking pattern of radial-before-circumferential cracking