Effects of interfacial fracture energy and strength on normal adhesion failure at the ice–wing interface

Aircraft icing poses a serious threat to flight safety. The development of effective anti/de-icing systems relies on a comprehensive understanding of ice–substrate adhesion. To this end, this study numerically investigates the influence of interfacial fracture energy and strength on the normal detachment of ice, based on an established experimental platform. Results indicate that the detachment load is negligibly affected by interfacial stiffness. Detachment initiates at the periphery of the interface and propagates toward the center. When the interface strength is constant, both the detachment load and time increase with the interfacial fracture energy. The growth rate gradually decreases until stabilization. Furthermore, as the fracture energy increases, the normal debonding behavior of ice evolves from being fracture-energy-sensitive to strength-sensitive. Conversely, with increasing interface strength, detachment behavior transitions from being strength-sensitive to being co-governed by both strength and toughness. This work focuses on the interaction between impact ice and a wing surface, closely aligning with real-world aircraft icing conditions. The findings provide practical insights for optimizing anti-/de-icing system design.