Abstract
A discussion is made of the properties of ice that determine how it responds to stress. These include thermal properties, deformation behavior, an up to date explanation of regulation and sintering, and an exposition of defects in ice formation, its elastic behavior and the property of plastic deformation. Because of the abundance of ice, the temerpature at which forms, and the ways in which it influences our activities, a sound understanding of the thermal properties of ice and its response to an applied load is needed, in order to find solutions for the problems it creates. Our knowledge is inadequate at present and further studies are required.