Damage evolution in the anisotropic range variable model of nanopillar array

We study mechanical-damage avalanches occurring in axially loaded nanopillars located in the nodes of the supporting square lattice. Nanopillars are treated as fibres in the framework of the stochastic Fibre Bundle Model and they are characterised by random strength thresholds. Once an element crashes, its load is transferred to the other intact elements according to a given load transfer rule. In this work we use a modified range variable model including an anisotropic-stress-transfer function. Avalanches of broken nanopillars, critical loads and clusters of damaged nanopillars are analysed by varying both the anisotropy and effective range coefficients.