Increasing the flexural strength of columnar-grained ice by an icy coating

Abstract New experiments have revealed that a thin layer of granular ice bonded to salty and to salt-free columnar-grained ice increases flexural strength when the composite material is rapidly bent to the point of failure through brittle fracture. When bent slowly within the regime of ductile behavior, the layer has no detectable effect. Strengthening is attributed to the suppression of cracking; its absence, to dislocation creep.