A problem of scaling in fracture of damaged rock

Pre-existing inhomogeneities such as micropores and microcracks dictate the mechanical and physical properties of rock. Overloading, weathering, changing temperatures, and exceptional events can increase this damage, usually by microcracking, and as a consequence, modify the effective properties of the rock. To examine the problem of a structure composed of rock with various stages of damage, three point bending tests on sandstone specimens...