Measuring the Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Ice

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Abstract
An attempt was made to develop a simple but accurate method for making compressive strength tests on right circular cylinders. Compliant loading platens were designed to apply uniform normal stress without introducing significant interface radial shear stresses. The compliant platens gave reproducible results that agree well with results obtained by a precise conventional technique. Accurate results were obtained with simple specimen preparation, and with short specimens where the length-to-diameter ratio was less than unity. Platens were made from a rubber-like urethane which was molded in aluminum cylinders to provide lateral restraint. Uniaxial compression tests on cylindrical polycrystalline ice specimens were made to determine the characteristics of the platens. For 21 specimens with ends prepared on a lapping plate to obtain a mirror finish, the measured strength showed a variation of only 13% for length-to-diameter ratios from 0.74 to 2.5, with no systematic trend. Another 21 specimens with length-to-diameter ratios of about 2.35 were tested with various platens and various methods of specimen end preparation. The strength for specimens with saw-cut ends and for those with ends lapped showed very little difference when tested with the rubber platens.

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