Gravity-driven instabilities: Interplay between state- and velocity-dependent frictional sliding and stress corrosion damage cracking

Gravity-driven Instabilities: Interplay between State-and-velocity Dependent Frictional Sliding and Stress Corrosion Damage Cracking

We model the progressive maturation of a heterogeneous mass towards a gravity-driven instability, characterized by the competition between frictional sliding and tension cracking, using array of slider blocks on an inclined basal surface, which interact via elastic-brittle springs. A realistic stateand rate-dependent friction law describes the block-surface interaction. The inner material damag...

Network Theory, Cracking and Frictional Sliding

We have developed different network approaches to complex patterns of frictional interfaces (contact areas developments). Network theory is a fundamental tool for the modern understanding of complex systems in which, by a simple graph representation, the elementary units of a system become nodes and their mutual interactions become links. With this transformation of a system to network space, m...

Stress Corrosion Cracking

Interplay between Kelvin-Helmholtz and urrent-driven instabilities in jets

Tarnish Resistance, Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking of Gold Alloys

Tarnishing, corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SeC) of gold alloys are related phenomena. They present problems when they occur in gold jewellery, dental gold alloys and electronic devices. They are exploited, however, in the depletion gilding and finishing of gold jewellery; and in the extraction, refining and fire assaying of gold. There is still much that is not known about these pheno...