2D plain strain, pure shear deformation experiments in ice – Preparation of strain gauges teaching material for undergraduate students

Abstract

In this report I explore the viability of using an ice thin section with carbon dioxide inclusions as a material for students to practice the Fry- and Rf/Φ strain analysis methods. The use of this material allows the students to follow the deformation process from the initial to the final stages in incremental steps, something which more conventionally used materials, such as conglomerates and ooids will not allow. The analysis presented in this report was done by producing and deforming an ice thin section in a laboratory environment, which allowed for in situ observation of all intermediate stages of deformation. The deformation process was recorded using a fabric analyzer. A total of 16 microphotographs were analyzed using the EllipseFit freeware software, by tracing all bubble inclusions present in the images, excluding obvious outliers. The analysis show that the final and all intermediary incremental strain of an ice thin section sample can be calculated and tracked using the Fry- and Rf/Φ strain analysis methods. I supplemented this report with practical examples of student exercises, one which teaches manual application of the methods and one which teaches the software-based application of the methods.