Fragmentation as an aggregation process

Abstract eng:
The fragmentation of a ring in radial expansion is a benchmark experiment to test our understanding of solid fragmentation. We study a discrete version of it, using necklaces of cohesive spheres as an experimental model. After being communicated an initial radial impulse, the ring breaks and the spheres separate from each other. The attractive forces between the spheres drive an aggregation dynamics that proceed until a final state is reached. The time resolved observation of the fragment size distribution reveals that the process is self similar. This study combines experiments and modeling to offer a new approach to fragmentation dynamics when fracture energy is a relevant quantity and proposes the selection of the fragment size distribution as the results of the aggregation dynamics. The role of inhomogeneities (i.e. material flaws) is also addressed as well as the energetics of the process.

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