The influence of water, snow and granular ice on ice failure processes, ice load magnitude and process pressure

Contact area measurements revealed a correlation of higher forces with a concurrent increase in actual contact area that depended on the respective boundary condition. In submergence, ice debris constitution, ice extrusion, as well as crack development and propagation were impeded. Snow and granular ice provided additional material sources for establishing larger contact areas. The dry contact condition generally had the smallest real contact area, as well as the lowest forces. The comparison of nominal and measured contact areas revealed distinct deviations which were dependent on the boundary conditions. The incorporation of those differences in contact process pressures-area relationships indicated that the overall process pressure was not substantially affected by changes in true contact area.