Abstract

In this work, we present the numerical results obtained from large scale parallel and distributed simulations of a model for two- and three-dimensional discrete fragmentation. Its main features are: (1) uniform and independent random distribution of the forces that generate the fracture; (2) deterministic criteria for the fracture process at each step of the fragmentation, based on these forces and a random stopping criteria. By large scale parallel and distributed simulations, implemented over a heterogeneous network of high performance computers, different behaviors were obtained for the fragment size distribution, which includes power law behavior with positive exponents for a wide range of the main parameter of the model: the stopping probability. Also, by a sensitive analysis we prove that the value of the main parameter of the model does not affect these results. The power law distribution is a non-trivial result which reproduces empirical results of some highly energetic fracture processes. © 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.