Are scaling laws on strength of solids related to mechanics or to geometry?
Carpinteri, A. and N. Pugno (2005), Nat Mater 4(6): 421-3. Abstract: One of the largest controversial issues of the materials science community is the interpretation of scaling laws on material strength. In spite of the prevailing view, which considers mechanics as the real cause of such effects, here, we propose a different argument, purely based on geometry. Thus, as happened for relativity, geometry could again hold an unexpected and fundamental role.
