Cavitation-induced nucleation of ice: A possible mechanism for frost-cracking in rocks

Abstract

An analogy is drawn between the solidification of undercooled metal melts (for example nickel) that, at a particular temperature below the melting point, crystallise rapidly with the production of a shock wave, and the formation of ice from under-cooled water. The calculated shock preswre for the process exceeds the tensile strength of most rocks, suggesting that such a process might be responsible for frost-cracking in rocks. Undercoolings of a few degrees would suffice for this solidification. Mechanistic considerations favour a cavitation-induced nucleation for the process.