This presentation will discuss recent advances in the study of dynamic shear ruptures, using laboratory experiments. Our newly developed imaging technique, based on ultrahigh-speed digital image correlation (DIC), has transformed the capabilities of observing highly transient phenomena and has allowed addressing fundamental questions in rupture dynamics. Our measurements reveal the spatiotemporal features of supershear and sub-Rayleigh ruptures at a level of detail that until recently was possible to achieve only with numerical simulations. Dynamic imaging of stresses also enables us to decode the nature of friction by tracking its evolution and studying its dependence on slip, slip velocity and their history. The measured friction behavior allows us to challenge existing friction laws and either validate them or formulate new ones. This approach gives a new perspective on the study of friction and provides important insights into earthquake and rupture physics.

Guest speaker

Vito Rubino is currently a Research Scientist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in the Department of Aerospace (GALCIT). He employs experimental and computational mechanics to study dynamic fracture of frictional interfaces and faults. His work has received recognitions by both the mechanics and geophysics community. These include the M. Hetényi Award by the Society of Experimental Mechanics for the best research paper published in Experimental Mechanics and the EOS Editors’ highlights.