Scientist from Max-Planck-Institute, Germany & Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have simulated the atomistic details of how cracks propagate in brittle materials & gained significant insight into the physics of dynamical fracture instabilities. They showed quantitatively that fracture instabilities are controlled by the properties of materials under extreme deformation conditions near a moving crack tip. Most existing theories of fracture are based on small material deformation, assuming a linear relationship between stress & strain. However, the relation between stress & strain in real solids is strongly nonlinear due to large deformation near a moving crack tip. This fact stems from the details of atomistic or molecular interactions in materials. The work may help improve the understanding of how materials break at different scales, ranging from nanomaterials to buildings. For more information please email Markus Buehler at: mbuehler@mit.edu
