Elasto-delayed-elastic simulation of short-term deflection of fresh-water ice covers

The simulations of short-term, time-dependent, fresh-water ice cover deflections under variable loading conditions have been carried out using a combination of an ''Elasto-Delayed Elastic'' model for primary or transient creep and Wyman's elastic theory. The calculated results were compared with the load-deflection data of a 0.65 m thick Dows lake ice sheet, for loads up to 35.6 tonnes for durations up to about 3.6 hours. The analyses indicate that elastic and the delayed elastic deformation dominate the short-term deformation process. The results implied that the short term bearing capacity problems of ice covers (such as aircraft landing or vehicles parking) can be handled by the grain-structure sensitive, time- and temperature-dependent elasto-delayed-elastic theory. The major strength of the theory is its ability to estimate parking times based on practical operational criterion such as the available freeboard.