Pressure in a tank due to water-ice phase transformation

Our aim is to show the surprising force of hydrogen bonds in ice. When a tank completely filled with water is cooled, ice formation can generate a pressure which can cause its breaking. This phenomenon is due to the fact that water has a higher density in its liquid phase than in its solid state. Such a breaking is all the more surprising in that hydrogen bonds between water molecules are known as being weak chemical bonds. We show here that in the case of a total phase change, even the best steels or alloys could not prevent its breakage.