Slow Cracklike Dynamics at the Onset of Frictional Sliding

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.107.235501
• Publication Date: 2011-11-28T16:45:14Z
• Authors: Eran Bouchbinder; Efim A. Brener; Itay Barel; Michael Urbakh
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Condensed Matter - Materials Science; 03 medical and health sciences; info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/550; Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci); Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft); FOS: Physical sciences; Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter; J

4 pages, 2 figures<br/>We propose an elasto-plastic inspired friction model which incorporates interfacial stiffness. Steady state sliding friction is characterized by a generic nonmonotonic behavior, including both velocity weakening and strengthening branches. In 1D and upon the application of sideway loading, we demonstrate the existence of transient cracklike fronts whose velocity is independent of sound speed, which we propose to be analogous to the recently discovered slow interfacial rupture fronts. Most importantly, the properties of these transient inhomogeneously loaded fronts are determined by steady state front solutions at the {\em minimum} of the sliding friction law, implying the existence of a new velocity scale and a "forbidden gap" of rupture velocities. We highlight the role played by interfacial stiffness and supplement our analysis with 2D scaling arguments.<br/>