Abstract
The formation of irregular (often fractal1) patterns under non-equilibrium conditions has become a subject of considerable scientific and practical interest. One of the most important processes of this type is the formation of cracks and other extended defects in materials under stress2,3. Here we present an experimental study of crack growth in a two-dimensional system, using a monolayer of uniformly sized microspheres confined between two parallel sheets of glass. The cracking patterns observed in this system closely resemble those found in more complex systems of practical importance, such as paint films or ceramic-coated metals. A simple two-dimensional computer model for elastic fracture leads to structures that closely resemble those observed in the experiments. In both the experimental and computer models an early stage in which isolated defects are formed is followed by a period in which rapid growth of almost linear cracks occurs. At later times the crack growth process slows down and the shapes of the cracks become increasingly irregular.
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Skjeltorp, A., Meakin, P. Fracture in microsphere monolayers studied by experiment and computer simulation. Nature 335, 424–426 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/335424a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/335424a0
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