Mesoscale Simulations Investigating the Dynamic Strength of Partially Transitioned Water-Ice Mixtures Under Pressure-Shear Impact Loading

The dynamic properties of the various phases of ice have long been of interest to the scientific community. Observation of the constitutive strength, particularly for exotic phases like Ice VII, have remained elusive due to the unique thermodynamic conditions necessary to drive transition in addition to the difficulties associated with in-situ measurement. Recent experimentation leveraging pressure-shear plate impact testing has aimed to address these challenges by driving phase transition via longitudinal compression and followed by subsequent shear propagation, which is examined for evidence of strength.



Herein details a mesoscale simulation study conducted alongside ongoing experimental efforts. In CTH, a water target is confined between two high-impedance anvils and given conditions representative of pressure-shear impact. The simulated water was seeded, a-priori, with 10 to 99% (vol) “crystals” to act as surrogates for ice nucleation sites. While all water material was assigned a Sesame equation of state, crystal were modeled to have a pressure-dependent constitutive model such that strength behavior would be exhibited at thermodynamic conditions correlated to phase transition. Results provide useful insight into how complex mesoscopic mechanisms influence continuum response in water-ice mixtures under dynamic conditions, and crucial guidance in how to interpret and analyze pressure-shear testing data.



SNL is managed and operated by NTESS under DOE NNSA contract DE-NA0003525. SAND2025-00427A