Sea-ice observations and models show zones of high deformation typical of granular medium (linear kinematic features (LKFs)). Recent high-resolution simulations feature fractures that mimic the observed pattern but with wider intersection angles. Motivated by this, we investigate the dependence between conjugate faults intersection angles and different viscous–plastic rheologies. Using an idealized uniaxial setting, the ice fracture is modeled with different confinement ratios and two different VP rheologies: one with an elliptical yield curve and a normal flow rule, and one with a Coulombic yield curve and a normal flow rule that applies only to the elliptical cap. Modeling fracture angles smaller than 30° is not possible with an elliptical yield curve in a pure compression setting. Further several modeled behaviors are inconsistent with the granular nature of sea ice : (1) the fracture angle increases with ice shear strength; (2) the divergence along the fracture lines (or LKFs) is uniquely defined by the shear strength of the material with divergence for high shear strength and convergence follow shear strength; (3) the angle of fracture depends on the confining pressure with more convergence as the confining pressure increases. With Mohr’s circle, this behavior is shown to be linked to the convexity of the yield curve. The Coulombic yield curve is able to model smaller angles but the solution is unstable because of non-differentiable corners between the straight limbs of the Coulombic yield curve and the elliptical cap. The results show that, although the fracture patterns at first appear realistic, the yield curve should be revised to take into account the nature of sea ice as a pressure-sensitive and dilatant granular material.