Pattern selection of cracks in directionally drying fracture

Abstract

We study pattern selection of cracks in directionally drying fractures by analyzing the experimental systems recently devised by C. Allain and L. Limat. [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 74}, 2981 (1995).] Proposing a simple picture of crack formation, we clarify the mechanism of how cracks array regularly and find that the interval between neighboring cracks is proportional to the $2/3$ power of the cell thickness. This result explains well the experimental data of Allain and Limat.

12 pages, REVTeX with 3 figures (uuencoded tar-compressed postscript)