MECHANICAL MODEL TO INVESTIGATE AIRFOIL DEICING MECHANICS

A fracture mechanical model for the prediction of the ice detachment f rom an elastic sheet subjected to dynamic loading is proposed. The mec hanical model consists of an one dimensional linear elastic beam cover ed with an ice layer and an interfacial crack between the two layers. Finite element analysis and experimental observations on a partially c overed ice clad aluminium alloy plate, fitted with an Electro-Impulsiv e De-Icer were used to support the modelling and to identify the crite ria which most influence the deicing process. The proposed approach ha s resulted to a good correlation between experimentally obtained de-ic ing process and the model's prediction.