The existence of fractures with velocities even higher than that of shear waves is demonstrated with numerical simulations. They can even reach that of longitudinal waves. The mechanism is that of mother/daughter cracks where the daughter crack(s) open in front of the mother crack(s) and both join over time involving jumps in propagation. The areas of application are porous materials with or without the presence of interstitial water that could also have relevance in geophysics. The methods used are the “extended” finite element method (XFEM) and a mixed method by coupling the finite element method for fluid with peridynamics for solid.

Berhnard Schrefler, member of Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze detta dei XL and Prof. emeritus of Construction Science at the University of Padua.

Bernhard Schrefler’s scientific activities and research interests range from geomechanics to Bio-medical engineering, from mechanics of materials and structures to thermonuclear fusion technology.

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