Fast development of seismology and related disciplines like seismic prospecting observed in recent decades has its roots in efficient applications of ideas of continuum media mechanics to describe seismic wave propagation through the Earth. Using the same approach enhanced by fracture mechanics methods to describe physical processes leading to nucleation, development and finally arresting of earthquake ruptures has also advanced our understanding of earthquake physics. However, in this case, we can talk only about a partial success since many aspects of earthquake processes are still very poorly understood if at all. We argue that to progress with seismic source analysis we need to turn our attention to a complementary approach, namely a ‘discrete’ one. We demonstrate here that taking into account discreteness of solid materials we are able not only to incorporate classical ‘continuum’ solutions but also reveal many details of fracture processes whose analysis is beyond the classical fracture mechanics. In this paper, we analyse tensional processes encountered in rock mechanics laboratory experiments, mining seismology and sometimes in realistic inter-plate seismic episodes. The ‘discreteness’ principle is implemented through the discrete element method—the numerical method entirely based on the discrete representation of the medium. Special attention is paid to energy accumulation and transformation during loading and relaxation phases of fragmentation processes.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Fracture dynamics of solid materials: from particles to the globe’.

地震学和近几十年来观察到的地震勘探等相关学科的快速发展源于有效应用连续介质力学原理来描述地震波在地球上的传播。使用由断裂力学方法增强的相同方法来描述导致成核，发展并最终阻止地震破裂的物理过程，也增进了我们对地震物理学的理解。但是，在这种情况下，我们只能说部分成功，因为对地震过程的许多方面仍然知之甚少。我们认为，要继续进行地震源分析，我们需要将注意力转移到一种补充方法上，即“离散”方法。我们在这里证明，考虑到固体材料的离散性，我们不仅能够结合经典的“连续体”解决方案，而且还揭示了断裂过程的许多细节，而这些细节的分析超出了经典的断裂力学。在本文中，我们分析了岩石力学实验室实验，采矿地震学以及有时在现实的板间地震事件中遇到的拉伸过程。“离散”原理是通过离散元素方法实现的，该数值方法完全基于介质的离散表示。在碎裂过程的加载和松弛阶段，要特别注意能量的积累和转化。

本文是主题主题“固体材料的断裂动力学：从粒子到地球”的一部分。