Model inspired by population genetics to study fragmentation of brittle plates

Abstract

We use a model whose rules were inspired by population genetics, the random capability growth model, to describe the statistical details observed in experiments of fragmentation of brittle platelike objects, and in particular the existence of (i) composite scaling laws, (ii) small critical exponents \tau associated with the power-law fragment-size distribution, and (iii) the typical pattern of cracks. The proposed computer simulations do not require numerical solutions of the Newton's equations of motion, nor several additional assumptions normally used in discrete element models. The model is also able to predict some physical aspects which could be tested in new experiments of fragmentation of brittle systems.