Effect of Transverse Shear Deformation in Thin Elastic Ice Plates

The elastic deflection of thin ice sheets due In bending and shear deformation is considered. The in-plane Young's modulus and the transverse shear modulus are calculated by least squres fit of transverse plate deflection data. Results show that thin ice plates behave predominantly in shear. Previously, the Young's moduli were calaulated based on bending theory alone. The Young's moduli of thin model ice sheets, estimated using the bending and shear theory, are more than an order of magnitude greater than calculated previously, and hence are more realistic. Further, the previous ambiguity in the Young's modulus, arising from fitting the data at various distances from the point of loading, is removed by considering shear and bending deformation.