A revised ice pressure-area curve and a fracture mechanics explanation

In the context of ice-structure interactions, data from measurements of forces indicate that for areas smaller than 10 m2 contact pressure is proportional to area to the power − 0.7, in contrast to larger areas for which the area dependence is much weaker. A simple model is presented, where the basic idea is that the area over which the force is measured is not the same as the area that controls the force. It takes the force as that from one high-pressure zone (HPZ), determined by linear elastic fracture mechanics and the distance to the nearest edge of the total area, and assumes that the largest force occurs when only one HPZ is present within the measurement area. The model generates an area dependence close to the observed data.