Cracks halting cracks: investigating crack-arresting phenomenon in freshwater ice produced in the laboratory, 2020-2024

Understanding the behavior of rifts in ice shelves is important for predicting their stability and response to environmental changes. This study investigates the interaction and propagation of cracks in freshwater ice plates, with a focus on the role of secondary notches in inhibiting crack propagation. The experiments were conducted at the Ice Research Laboratory of Dartmouth College's Thayer School of Engineering from 2020 to 2024. The study utilized S2 freshwater laboratory-grown ice specimens, which underwent deep sharp notching perpendicular to their long axes to induce cracking upon bending. Additional specimens featured deeper secondary notches positioned at the ends of primary notches to investigate their influence on crack propagation. Experimental tests, conducted under controlled loading conditions, reveal that deeper secondary notches effectively arrest the propagation of cracks emanating from primary notches. The results suggest that rift propagation inhibition occurs when rifts intersect or encounter obstacles, leading to changes in stress distribution and crack propagation paths. This research enhances our understanding of fracture mechanics in brittle materials and offers valuable insights into the dynamics of rift propagation in ice shelves. The findings have implications for predicting and mitigating the impacts of rift propagation on ice shelf stability and sea level rise.This dataset contains a summary of notch configurations, flexural strength, and fracture locations during the 4-point bending of pre-cracked S2 columnar-grained freshwater ice plates.

明晰冰架裂隙的演化行为，对精准预测冰架稳定性及其对环境变化的响应至关重要。本研究针对淡水冰板内裂纹的交互与扩展展开探究，重点关注次级刻槽（secondary notches）抑制裂纹扩展的作用机制。实验于2020年至2024年间在美国达特茅斯学院塞耶工程学院（Thayer School of Engineering）冰研究实验室开展。本研究采用S2型实验室培育淡水冰试样，通过在垂直于试样长轴的位置加工深锐刻槽，使其在弯曲载荷下萌生裂纹。另有部分试样在主刻槽末端加工了更深的次级刻槽，以探究其对裂纹扩展的影响。在可控加载条件下开展的实验测试表明，更深的次级刻槽可有效阻滞主刻槽萌生的裂纹扩展。实验结果显示，当裂隙发生交汇或遭遇障碍物时，便会出现裂隙扩展阻滞现象，进而引发应力分布与裂纹扩展路径的改变。本研究加深了学界对脆性材料断裂力学的认知，同时为理解冰架裂隙扩展的动力学机制提供了重要参考。该研究成果可为预测并缓解裂隙扩展对冰架稳定性及海平面上升的影响提供理论依据。本数据集汇总了预制裂纹的S2型柱状晶淡水冰板在四点弯曲试验中的刻槽构型、抗弯强度及断裂位置等信息。