When amphibious aircraft, ships, and other equipment perform tasks on the water, especially in winter or in low-temperature environments such as high latitudes, high altitudes, and polar regions, they will inevitably encounter icing problems which can adversely affect the safety and performance of these devices. In order to study the mechanical properties of freshwater and seawater ice, this paper tests and analyzes the tensile and shear strengths of static ice and proposes the test principle of shear and tensile strengths of static ice. It then designs and builds the corresponding test equipment, prepares the freshwater and seawater ice samples, and completes the tests. Experiments yield the shear and tensile strengths of freshwater and different seawater samples at various temperatures, and the temperature–strength curves are then drawn. The findings can provide technical support and valuable reference for anti-icing and de-icing design of water vehicles in low-temperature and hostile ocean environments.

This research investigates the effects of freezing temperature and salinity on the adhesion shear strength of amphibious aircraft tires under static icing. It found that the lower the freezing temperature, the greater the ice adhesion shear strength, and the higher the salinity of the water sample, the lower the ice adhesion shear strength. This is related to the thickness of the brine layer at the ice-tire substrate interface; the temperature decreased, the brine layer became thinner, and, accordingly, the adhesion shear strength increased. This paper analyzes the problem of brine precipitation during seawater freezing and its influencing mechanism on the ice adhesion shear strength. In addition, it also found that the lower the temperature, the greater the growth rate of the ice adhesion shear strength. When the salinity in different ranges changed, its influence on the adhesion shear strength was different. When the salinity of the water sample is close to 0%, a small change in the salinity will cause a large change in the ice adhesion shear strength. When the salinity is large, the change of salinity has a weaker influence on the ice adhesion shear strength. This research provides a strong reference for the design and study of amphibious aircraft tires.