Fracture asperity evolution during the transition from stick slip to stable sliding

Fracture asperities interlock or break during stick slip and ride over each other stable sliding. The evolution of fracture the transition between sliding has attracted less attention, but is important to predict behaviour. Here, we conduct a series direct shear experiments on simulated fractures in homogeneous polycarbonate examine stage. Our results show that stage occurs stages progressive reduction normal stress smooth rough fractures. Both exhibit alternative occurrence small large drops followed by deterministic chaos data indicate asperity radius curvature correlates linearly with dimensionless contact area under given stress. For fracture, bifurcation acoustic energy release appears when decreases stress-dependent velocity-dependent. This article part theme issue ‘Fracture dynamics solid materials: from particles globe’.