Bulk adhesion of ice to concrete - what we know and what we still need to study

Abstract Approaches to reduce or impede the degradation of concrete in a marine environment by ice include the choice of concrete, the selection of the structural shape and the application of coatings to inhibit abrasion. To inform these approaches, it is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms that lead to wear, so that appropriate design considerations may be made. This paper examines one such mechanism, the adhesive effects of large-scale (bulk) ice on concrete. Recent laboratory results are placed in context with previous laboratory programs to examine both what we know about parameters that influence the ice-concrete adhesion bond and if these parameters may lead to wear. Key parameters that affect the bulk bond are contact area, bond time, displacement rate, whether an applied load was present during bonding and the mechanism of bonding. Greater adhesive bonds were also found when bonding ice to pure cement paste compared to component aggregate or concrete. It is shown that generally-unreported parameters related to the concrete surface are likely to also play a role. Ice adhesion to concrete leads to material loss, although at a reduced volume compared to that observed in frictional studies of ice. Direct correlations between individual test parameters and wear were not feasible under most test configurations. Field conditions that could lead to ice adhesion to concrete in a marine environment and the initiation of wear include scenarios with a slow-moving loading condition, a longer bond time, under some pressure, and wet (but not submerged) bond formation.