title: Dynamic stability of crack fronts: out-of-plane corrugations.
abstract: The dynamics and stability of brittle cracks are not yet fully understood. Here we use the Willis-Movchan 3D linear perturbation formalism [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 45, 591 (1997)] to study the out-of-plane stability of planar crack fronts in the framework of linear elastic fracture mechanics. We discuss a minimal scenario in which linearly unstable crack front corrugations might emerge above a critical front propagation speed. We calculate this speed as a function of Poisson's ratio and show that corrugations propagate along the crack front at nearly the Rayleigh wave speed. Finally, we hypothesize about a possible relation between such corrugations and the long-standing problem of crack branching.
authors: Ecole Normale Supérieure, Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris 6, France.
authors: Mokhtar
authors: M
authors: Adda-Bedia
authors: Rodrigo E
authors: RE
authors: Arias
authors: Eran
authors: E
authors: Bouchbinder
authors: Eytan
authors: E
authors: Katzav