title: Time to failure of hierarchical load-transfer models of fracture.
abstract: The time to failure, T, of dynamical models of fracture for a hierarchical load-transfer geometry is studied. Using a probabilistic strategy and juxtaposing hierarchical structures of height n, we devise an exact method to compute T, for structures of height n+1. Bounding T, for large n, we are able to deduce that the time to failure tends to a nonzero value when n tends to infinity. This numerical conclusion is deduced for both power law and exponential breakdown rules.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física Teórica, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Prada
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Pacheco