arXiv subjects

Eran Bouchbinder

Publications and source records attributed to Eran Bouchbinder.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2024

Facet formation in slow three-dimensional fracture

Cracks develop various surface patterns as they propagate in three-dimensional (3D) materials. Facet formation in nominally tensile (mode-I) fracture emerge in the slow, non-inertial regime and oftentimes takes the form of surface steps. We show that the same phase-field framework that recently shed basic light on dynamic (inertial) tensile fracture in 3D, also gives rise to crack surface steps. Step formation is shown to be an intrinsically nonlinear phenomenon that involves two essential physical ingredients: finite-strength quenched disorder and a small, mesoscopic anti-plane shear (mode-III) loading component (on top of the dominant tensile, mode-I loading component). We quantify the interplay between disorder (both its strength and spatial correlation length) and mesoscopic mode I+III mixity in controlling step formation. Finally, we show that surface steps grow out of the small-scale, background surface roughness and are composed of two overlapping crack segments connected by a bridging crack, in agreement with experiments.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2024

Quenched disorder and instability control dynamic fracture in three dimensions

Materials failure in 3D still poses basic challenges. We study 3D brittle crack dynamics using a phase-field approach, where Gaussian quenched disorder in the fracture energy is incorporated. Disorder is characterized by a correlation length $R$ and strength $σ$. We find that the mean crack velocity $v$ is bounded by a limiting velocity, which is smaller than the homogeneous material's prediction and decreases with $σ$. It emerges from a dynamic renormalization of the fracture energy with increasing crack driving force $G$, resembling a critical point, due to an interplay between a 2D branching instability and disorder. At small $G$, the probability of localized branching on a scale $R$ is super-exponentially small. With increasing $G$ this probability quickly increases, leading to misty fracture surfaces, yet the associated extra dissipation remains small. As $G$ is further increased, branching-related lengthscales become dynamic and persistently increase, leading to hackle-like structures and to a macroscopic contribution to the fracture surface. The latter dynamically renormalizes the actual fracture energy until eventually any increase in $G$ is balanced by extra fracture surface, with no accompanying increase in $v$. Finally, branching width reaches the system's thickness such that 2D symmetry is statistically restored. Our findings are consistent with a broad range of experimental observations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

The dynamics of unsteady frictional slip pulses

Self-healing slip pulses are major spatiotemporal failure modes of frictional systems, featuring a characteristic size $L(t)$ and a propagation velocity $c_{\rm p}(t)$ ($t$ is time). Here, we develop a theory of slip pulses in realistic rate-and-state dependent frictional systems. We show that slip pulses are intrinsically unsteady objects -- in agreement with previous findings -- yet their dynamical evolution is closely related to their unstable steady-state counterparts. In particular, we show that each point along the time-independent $L^{\mbox{(0)}}(τ_{\rm d})\!-\!c^{\mbox{(0)}}_{\rm p}(τ_{\rm d})$ line, obtained from a family of steady-state pulse solutions parameterized by the driving shear stress $τ_{\rm d}$, is unstable. Nevertheless, and remarkably, the $c^{\mbox{(0)}}_{\rm p}[L^{\mbox{(0)}}]$ line is a dynamic attractor such that the unsteady dynamics of slip pulses (when they exist) -- whether growing ($\dot{L}(t)\!>\!0$) or decaying ($\dot{L}(t)\!<\!0$) -- reside on the steady-state line. The unsteady dynamics along the line are controlled by a single slow unstable mode. The slow dynamics of growing pulses, manifested by $\dot{L}(t)/c_{\rm p}(t)\!\ll\!1$, explain the existence of sustained pulses, i.e.~pulses that propagate many times their characteristic size without appreciably changing their properties. Our theoretical picture of unsteady frictional slip pulses is quantitatively supported by large-scale, dynamic boundary-integral method simulations.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Scaling theory of critical strain-stiffening in disordered elastic networks

Disordered elastic networks provide a framework for describing a wide variety of physical systems, ranging from amorphous solids, through polymeric fibrous materials to confluent cell tissues. In many cases, such networks feature two widely separated rigidity scales and are nearly floppy, yet they undergo a dramatic stiffening transition when driven to sufficiently large strains. We present a complete scaling theory of the critical strain-stiffened state in terms of the small ratio between the rigidity scales, which is conceptualized in the framework of a singular perturbation theory. The critical state features quartic anharmonicity, from which a set of nonlinear scaling relations is derived. Scaling predictions for the macroscopic elastic modulus beyond the critical state are derived as well, revealing a previously unidentified characteristic strain scale. The predictions are quantitatively compared to a broad range of available numerical data on biopolymer network models and future research questions are discussed.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2023

The dynamics of crack front waves in 3D material failure

Crack front waves (FWs) are dynamic objects that propagate along moving crack fronts in 3D materials. We study FW dynamics in the framework of a 3D phase-field framework that features a rate-dependent fracture energy $Γ(v)$ ($v$ is the crack propagation velocity) and intrinsic lengthscales, and quantitatively reproduces the high-speed oscillatory instability in the quasi-2D limit. We show that in-plane FWs feature a rather weak time dependence, with decay rate that increases with $dΓ(v)/dv\!>\!0$, and largely retain their properties upon FW-FW interactions, similarly to a related experimentally-observed solitonic behavior. Driving in-plane FWs into the nonlinear regime, we find that they propagate slower than predicted by a linear perturbation theory. Finally, by introducing small out-of-plane symmetry-breaking perturbations, coupled in- and out-of-plane FWs are excited, but the out-of-plane component decays under pure tensile loading. Yet, including a small anti-plane loading component gives rise to persistent coupled in- and out-of-plane FWs.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Boson-peak vibrational modes in glasses feature hybridized phononic and quasilocalized excitations

A hallmark of structural glasses and other disordered solids is the emergence of excess low-frequency vibrations, on top of the Debye spectrum $D_{\rm Debye}(ω)$ of phonons ($ω$ denotes the vibrational frequency), which exist in any solid whose Hamiltonian is translationally invariant. These excess vibrations -- a signature of which is a THz peak in the reduced density of states $D(ω)/D_{\rm Debye}(ω)$, known as the boson peak -- have resisted a complete theoretical understanding for decades. Here, we provide direct numerical evidence that vibrations near the boson peak consist of hybridizations of phonons with many quasilocalized excitations, the latter were recently shown to generically populate the low-frequency tail of the vibrational spectra of structural glasses quenched from a melt and of disordered crystals. Our results suggest that quasilocalized excitations exist up to and in the vicinity of the boson-peak frequency, and hence constitute fundamental building blocks of the excess vibrational modes in glasses.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2023

The boson peak in the vibrational spectra of glasses

A hallmark of glasses is an excess of low-frequency, nonphononic vibrations, in addition to phonons. It is associated with the intrinsically nonequilibrium and disordered nature of glasses, and is generically manifested as a THz peak -- the boson peak -- in the ratio of the vibrational density of state (VDoS) and Debye's VDoS of phonons. Yet, the excess vibrations and the boson peak are not fully understood. Here, using reanalysis of experimental data, extensive computer simulations and a mean-field model, we show that the nonphononic part of the VDoS itself features both a universal power-law tail and a peak, entirely accounted for by quasi-localized nonphononic vibrations, whose existence was recently established. We explain the mild variation of the peak's frequency and magnitude with glasses' thermal history, along with the strong variation of the power-law tail. We also show that modes that populate the peak's region feature many coupled quasi-localized nonphononic vibrations, when their spatial structure is considered. Our results provide a unified physical picture of the low-frequency vibrational spectra of glasses, and in particular elucidate the origin, nature and properties of the boson peak.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2023

Bridging necking and shear-banding mediated tensile failure in glasses

The transition between necking-mediated tensile failure of glasses, at elevated temperatures and/or low strain-rates, and shear-banding-mediated tensile failure, at low temperatures and/or high strain-rates, is investigated using tensile experiments on metallic glasses and atomistic simulations. We experimentally and simulationally show that this transition occurs through a sequence of macroscopic failure patterns, parametrized by the ultimate tensile strength. Quantitatively analyzing the spatiotemporal dynamics preceding failure, using large scale atomistic simulations corroborated by experimental fractography, reveals how the collective evolution and mutual interaction of shear-driven plasticity and dilation-driven void formation (cavitation) control the various macroscopic failure modes. In particular, we find that at global failure, the size of the largest cavity in the loading direction exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on the temperature at a fixed strain rate, which is rationalized in terms of the interplay between shear- and dilation-driven plasticity. We also find that the size of the largest cavity scales with the cross-sectional area of the undeformed sample. These results shed light on tensile failure of glasses, and highlight the need to develop elasto-plastic constitutive models of glasses incorporating both shear- and dilation-driven irreversible processes.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2023

Variability of mesoscopic mechanical disorder in disordered solids

Quantifying mechanical disorder in solids, either disordered crystals or glassy solids, and understanding its range of variability are of prime importance, e.g.~for discovering structure-properties relations. The bounds on the degree of mechanical fluctuations in disordered solids and how those depend on solids formation history remain unknown. Here, we study a broadly applicable quantifier of mesoscopic mechanical disorder $χ$, defined via the dimensionless fluctuations of the shear modulus, over a wide variety of disordered computer solids and upon varying different control parameters. $χ$ is intimately related to basic properties of disordered solids, such as elastic constants and plastic deformability, and can be experimentally extracted by wave-attenuation measurements. We find that a large variety of self-organized glassy solids, where disorder is an emergent property, appear to satisfy a generic lower bound on $χ$. On the other hand, we show that $χ$ is unbounded from above, and may diverge in systems driven towards the critical unjamming point. These results highlight basic properties of disordered solids and set the ground for systematically quantifying mechanical disorder across different systems.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2023

Anomalous linear elasticity of disordered networks

Continuum elasticity is a powerful tool applicable in a broad range of physical systems and phenomena. Yet, understanding how and on what scales material disorder may lead to the breakdown of continuum elasticity is not fully understood. We show, based on recent theoretical developments and extensive numerical computations, that disordered elastic networks near a critical rigidity transition, such as strain-stiffened fibrous biopolymer networks that are abundant in living systems, reveal an anomalous long-range linear elastic response below a correlation length. This emergent anomalous elasticity, which is non-affine in nature, is shown to feature a qualitatively different multipole expansion structure compared to ordinary continuum elasticity, and a slower spatial decay of perturbations. The potential degree of universality of these results, their implications (e.g. for cell-cell communication through biological extracellular matrices) and open questions are briefly discussed.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2022

Nonphononic spectrum of two-dimensional structural glasses

The scaling form and system-size dependence of the low-frequency wing of the nonphononic vibrational spectrum of two-dimensional structural glasses have been debated in recent literature. Here we provide numerical evidence that the prefactor $A_{\rm g}$ of the low-frequency nonphononic vibrational spectrum -- the latter grows from zero frequency ($ω\!=\!0$) as $A_{\rm g}ω^β$ -- is system-size dependent, and that the exponent $β$ exhibits a similar glass-formation-protocol and system-size dependence as seen in three-dimensional structural glasses.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2022

Self-healing (solitonic) slip pulses in frictional systems

A prominent spatiotemporal failure mode of frictional systems is self-healing slip pulses, which are propagating solitonic structures that feature a characteristic length. Here, we numerically derive a family of steady state slip pulse solutions along generic and realistic rate-and-state dependent frictional interfaces, separating large deformable bodies in contact. Such nonlinear interfaces feature a non-monotonic frictional strength as a function of the slip velocity, with a local minimum. The solutions exhibit a diverging length and strongly inertial propagation velocities, when the driving stress approaches the frictional strength characterizing the local minimum from above, and change their character when it is away from it. An approximate scaling theory quantitatively explains these observations. The derived pulse solutions also exhibit significant spatially-extended dissipation in excess of the edge-localized dissipation (the effective fracture energy) and an unconventional edge singularity. The relevance of our findings for available observations is discussed.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2022

Disordered crystals reveal soft quasilocalized glassy excitations

Structural glasses formed by quenching a melt are known to host a population of low-energy quasilocalized (nonphononic) excitations whose frequencies $ω$ follow a universal $\sim\!ω^4$ distribution as $ω\!\to\!0$, independently of the glass formation history, the interparticle interaction potential or spatial dimension. Here, we show that the universal quartic law of nonphononic excitations also holds in disordered crystals featuring finite long-range order, which is absent in their glassy counterparts. We thus establish that the degree of universality of the quartic law extends beyond structural glasses quenched from a melt. We further find that disordered crystals, whose level of disorder can be continuously controlled, host many more quasilocalized excitations than expected based on their degree of mechanical disorder -- quantified by the relative fluctuations of the shear modulus -- as compared to structural glasses featuring a similar degree of mechanical disorder. Finally, we show that the stability bound on nonlinear quasilocalized excitations -- previously established in structural glasses -- also holds in disordered crystals. Our results are related to glass-like anomalies experimentally observed in disordered crystals. More broadly, they constitute an important step towards tracing the essential ingredients necessary for the emergence of universal nonphononic excitations in disordered solids.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2021

Low-energy quasilocalized excitations in structural glasses

Glassy solids exhibit a wide variety of generic thermomechanical properties, ranging from universal anomalous specific heat at cryogenic temperatures to nonlinear plastic yielding and failure under external driving forces, which qualitatively differ from their crystalline counterparts. For a long time, it has been believed that many of these properties are intimately related to nonphononic, low-energy quasilocalized excitations (QLEs) in glasses. Indeed, recent computer simulations have conclusively revealed that the self-organization of glasses during vitrification upon cooling from a melt leads to the emergence of such QLEs. In this Perspective Article, we review developments over the past three decades towards understanding the emergence of QLEs in structural glasses, and the degree of universality in their statistical and structural properties. We discuss the challenges and difficulties that hindered progress in achieving these goals, and review the frameworks put forward to overcome them. We conclude with an outlook on future research directions and open questions.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2021

Does mesoscopic elasticity control viscous slowing down in glassforming liquids?

The dramatic slowing down of relaxation dynamics of liquids approaching the glass transition remains a highly debated problem, where the crux of the puzzle resides in the elusive increase of the activation barrier $ΔE(T)$ with decreasing temperature $T$. A class of theoretical frameworks -- known as elastic models -- attribute this temperature dependence to the variations of the liquid's macroscopic elasticity, quantified by the high-frequency shear modulus $G_\infty(T)$. While elastic models find some support in a number of experimental studies, these models do not take into account the spatial structures, length scales, and heterogeneity associated with structural relaxation in supercooled liquids. Here, we propose that viscous slowing down is controlled by a mesoscopic elastic stiffness $κ(T)$, defined as the characteristic stiffness of response fields to local dipole forces in the liquid's underlying inherent states. First, we show that $κ(T)$ -- which is intimately related to the energy and length scales characterizing quasilocalized, nonphononic excitations in glasses -- increases more strongly with decreasing $T$ than the macroscopic inherent state shear modulus $G(T)$ in several computer liquids. Second, we show that the simple relation $ΔE(T)\proptoκ(T)$ holds remarkably well for some computer liquids, implying a direct connection between the liquid's underlying mesoscopic elasticity and enthalpic energy barriers. On the other hand, we show that for other computer liquids, the above relation fails. Finally, we provide strong evidence that what distinguishes computer liquids in which the $ΔE(T) \propto κ(T)$ relation holds, from those in which it does not, is that the latter feature highly granular potential energy landscapes, where many sub-basins separated by low activation barriers exist. [Rest of abstract abridged]

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2021

A unified quantifier of mechanical disorder in solids

Mechanical disorder in solids, which is generated by a broad range of physical processes and controls various material properties, appears in a wide variety of forms. Defining unified and measurable dimensionless quantifiers, allowing quantitative comparison of mechanical disorder across widely different physical systems, is therefore an important goal. Two such coarse-grained dimensionless quantifiers (among others) appear in the literature, one is related to the spectral broadening of discrete phononic bands in finite-size systems (accessible through computer simulations) and the other is related the spatial fluctuations of the shear modulus in macroscopically large systems. The latter has been recently shown to determine the amplitude of wave attenuation rates in the low-frequency limit (accessible through laboratory experiments). Here, using two alternative and complementary theoretical approaches linked to the vibrational spectra of solids, we derive a basic scaling relation between the two dimensionless quantifiers. This scaling relation, which is supported by simulational data, shows that the two apparently distinct quantifiers are in fact intrinsically related, giving rise to a unified quantifier of mechanical disorder in solids. We further discuss the obtained results in the context of the unjamming transition taking place in soft sphere packings at low confining pressures, in addition to their implications for our understanding of the low-frequency vibrational spectra of disordered solids in general, and in particular those of glassy systems.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2021

Velocity-driven frictional sliding: Coarsening and steady-state pulse trains

Frictional sliding is an intrinsically complex phenomenon, emerging from the interplay between driving forces, elasto-frictional instabilities, interfacial nonlinearity and dissipation, material inertia and bulk geometry. We show that homogeneous rate-and-state dependent frictional systems, driven at a prescribed boundary velocity -- as opposed to a prescribed stress -- in a range where the frictional interface is rate-weakening, generically host self-healing slip pulses, a sliding mode not yet fully understood. Such velocity-driven frictional systems are then shown to exhibit coarsening dynamics saturated at the system length in the sliding direction, independently of the system's height, leading to steadily propagating pulse trains. The latter may be viewed as a propagating phase-separated state, where slip and stick characterize the two phases. While pulse trains' periodicity is coarsening-limited by the system's length, the single pulse width, characteristic slip velocity and propagation speed exhibit rich properties, which are comprehensively understood using theory and extensive numerics. Finally, we show that for sufficiently small system heights, pulse trains are accompanied by periodic elasto-frictional instabilities.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2021

Theory of unconventional singularities of frictional shear cracks

Crack-like objects that propagate along frictional interfaces, i.e.~frictional shear cracks, play a major role in a broad range of frictional phenomena. Such frictional cracks are commonly assumed to feature the universal square root near-edge singularity of ideal shear cracks, as predicted by Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics. Here we show that this is not the generic case due to the intrinsic dependence of the frictional strength on the slip rate, even if the bodies forming the frictional interface are identical and predominantly linear elastic. Instead, frictional shear cracks feature unconventional singularities characterized by a singularity order $ξ$ that differs from the conventional $-\tfrac{1}{2}$ one. It is shown that $ξ$ depends on the friction law, on the propagation speed and on the symmetry mode of loading. We discuss the general structure of a theory of unconventional singularities, along with their implications for the energy balance and dynamics of frictional cracks. Finally, we present explicit calculations of $ξ$ and the associated near-edge fields for linear viscous-friction -- which may emerge as a perturbative approximation of nonlinear friction laws or on its own -- for both in-plane (mode-II) and anti-plane (mode-III) shear loadings.

cond-mat.soft↗