J Mater Sci Technol ›› 2000, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (01): 1-4.

• Research Articles •     Next Articles

Universality and specificity of fractal dimension of fractured surfaces in materials

Chiwei LUNG, Shenggang WANG   

  1. International Centre for Materials Physics, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110015, China
  • Received:1999-11-15 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2000-01-28 Published:2009-10-10
  • Contact: Chiwei LUNG

Abstract: After calculation on the fracture angles under various conditions of special surface energies with different symmetry operations of rotation, the complicated behavior of dependence of fractal dimension on the structure of crystal is shown. It is found that the crack propagates along the weakest crystal plane no matter what the direction of the maximum stress is if the anisotropy is sufficiently strong, and then, the fractal dimension of the fractured surfaces might be determined by the approximate fractal structure already existed in the material. Specificity of the fractal dimension of fractured surfaces would be easy to appear in this case. Reversely, the crack propagates along the direction of the maximum stress no matter what direction of the weakest crystal plane is if the anisotropy is sufficiently weak. Universality of the fractal dimension of fractured surfaces would be possible to appear in this case. In many real materials, universality and specificity of the materials are associated. The fractal dimension measured may more or less be influenced by the structure of materials and it shows its universality through the specificity of materials.

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