English

Fracture size effects from disordered lattice models

Materials Science 2008-04-15 v1 Statistical Mechanics

Abstract

We study size effects in the fracture strength of notched disordered samples using numerical simulations of lattice models for fracture. In particular, we consider the random fuse model, the random spring model and the random beam model, which all give similar results. These allow us to establish and understand the crossover between a regime controlled by disorder-induced statistical effects and a stress-concentration controlled regime ruled by fracture mechanics. The crossover is described by a scaling law that accounts for the presence of fracture process zone which we quantify by averaging over several disordered configurations of the model. The models allow to study the development of the fracture process zone as the load is increased and to express this in terms of crack resistance (R-curve).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0804.2224,
  title  = {Fracture size effects from disordered lattice models},
  author = {Mikko J. Alava and Phani K. V. V. Nukala and Stefano Zapperi},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0804.2224},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

submitted to Int. J. Fracture, 25 pages

R2 v1 2026-06-21T10:30:40.236Z