New Strength Criterion Unlocks Potential for Safer Frozen Sand Structures
Researchers used a special machine to test frozen sand at very cold temperatures and different pressures. They found that frozen sand gets weaker as it is squeezed more, but the weakening effect lessens with higher pressure. The strength of frozen sand does not increase in a straight line with pressure, but follows a curved pattern. They also came up with a new way to predict how strong frozen sand will be based on the pressure it is under.