Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation
Glacial quarrying stems from the fracturing of subglacial bedrock. Much evidence shows that subcritical crack propagation of bedrock is closely related to subglacial water pressure fluctuations. Here we employ a model that assesses the impact of subglacial water pressure fluctuation on cavity length...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022001265/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797770567773847552 |
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| author | Lin Li Yipeng Huang Ningchuan Su |
| author_facet | Lin Li Yipeng Huang Ningchuan Su |
| author_sort | Lin Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Glacial quarrying stems from the fracturing of subglacial bedrock. Much evidence shows that subcritical crack propagation of bedrock is closely related to subglacial water pressure fluctuations. Here we employ a model that assesses the impact of subglacial water pressure fluctuation on cavity length and subcritical crack propagation, while analyzing the effect of a pre-existing crack location using a phase-field model (PFM). Our results indicate that the cavity length is reduced during diurnal fluctuations in water pressure. There are two patterns of subcritical crack propagation on the corner of the step. The first stems from a rapid drop in water pressure. The second occurs after the water pressure recovers from the fluctuation to the initial steady state. This pattern is a consequence of enhanced stress concentration on the step since the modeled cavity length exceeds its steady value and has higher efficiency in promoting subcritical crack propagation. Additionally, based on the PFM results, we speculate that the subcritical crack initiation and propagation happen on a broader scale, including the ice-bed contact region and its adjacent region. Our findings imply that the duration of subcritical crack propagation is short and typically ceases once the cavity length adjusts to reduced water pressure levels. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:24:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c09f2ed5f7cf4bcb9e8dc6f6abdbf9b1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T21:24:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c09f2ed5f7cf4bcb9e8dc6f6abdbf9b12023-07-28T10:47:45ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-08-01691071107910.1017/jog.2022.126Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variationLin Li0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2792-5700Yipeng Huang1Ningchuan Su2College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, ChinaGlacial quarrying stems from the fracturing of subglacial bedrock. Much evidence shows that subcritical crack propagation of bedrock is closely related to subglacial water pressure fluctuations. Here we employ a model that assesses the impact of subglacial water pressure fluctuation on cavity length and subcritical crack propagation, while analyzing the effect of a pre-existing crack location using a phase-field model (PFM). Our results indicate that the cavity length is reduced during diurnal fluctuations in water pressure. There are two patterns of subcritical crack propagation on the corner of the step. The first stems from a rapid drop in water pressure. The second occurs after the water pressure recovers from the fluctuation to the initial steady state. This pattern is a consequence of enhanced stress concentration on the step since the modeled cavity length exceeds its steady value and has higher efficiency in promoting subcritical crack propagation. Additionally, based on the PFM results, we speculate that the subcritical crack initiation and propagation happen on a broader scale, including the ice-bed contact region and its adjacent region. Our findings imply that the duration of subcritical crack propagation is short and typically ceases once the cavity length adjusts to reduced water pressure levels.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022001265/type/journal_articleCrack propagationglacial quarryingwater pressure fluctuation |
| spellingShingle | Lin Li Yipeng Huang Ningchuan Su Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation Journal of Glaciology Crack propagation glacial quarrying water pressure fluctuation |
| title | Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation |
| title_full | Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation |
| title_fullStr | Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation |
| title_short | Subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation |
| title_sort | subcritical crack propagation in glacial quarrying during subglacial water pressure variation |
| topic | Crack propagation glacial quarrying water pressure fluctuation |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022001265/type/journal_article |
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