Fracture and fragmentation of ice: a fractal analysis of scale invariance

The fracture and fragmentation processes of ice are reviewed using fractal concepts. Numerous evidences for the scale invariance of fracture and fragmentation patterns in ice are given, including fracture networks at small (laboratory) and large (geophysical) scales, the distribution of fragment sizes in crushed ice or the distribution of sea ice floe sizes, or self-affine fracture surfaces. These observations strongly argue for the scale invariance of fracture and fragmentation processes in ice. This implies that the fracture mechanisms and the physical parameters revealed at the laboratory scale are still relevant at large scale. However, apparent scale effects can be observed for some parameters if the fractal geometry is ignored or neglected. Scale invariance also implies that the homogenization procedures used in the damage mechanics of ice have to be taken with caution.