Scientists develop new theories on crack growth

Munich, Germany -- Scientists at the Max Planck Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have released new research that appears to show cracks can move at speeds faster than the Rayleigh-wave speed in elastomeric materials.

In a pess release, Markus Buehler of MIT said, "We find that elastically stiffening rubber-like materials can dramatically change the instability dynamics of cracks. In elastically stiffening materials, stable crack motion at super-Rayleigh crack speeds is possible." These results, said the researchers, are in clear contrast to any existing theories, in which the speed of elastic waves is considered to be the limiting speed of fracture. Recent experimental results of fracture experiments in rubber have also shown cracks exceeding the shear wave speed.

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Press release from Max Planck Institute