The Fiber Bundle Model

In this paper, the fiber bundle model is treated as a problem of statistics and the analysis is performed within this framework, rather than treating it within materials science. The fiber bundle is viewed as a collection of elastic objects connected in parallel and clamped to a medium that transmits forces between the fibers. The fiber bundle model in its more sophisticated version–the local-load-sharing fiber bundle model shows the same competition between stress enhancement and weak fibers as the fuse model does. In the fiber bundle model, the material failure occurs when the fibers are stretched and some may possibly fail. A similar model, in which, however, failures occur under compression, is the pillar model. The pillar model has been used for describing several aspects of rock failure under compression. The chapter also presents the structure of the book and explains the key concepts discussed in each chapter.