On the number of fractured segments of spaghetti breaking dynamics

Abstract

Why are pieces of spaghetti generally broken into three to ten segments instead of two as one thinks? How can one obtain the desired number of fracture segments? To answer those questions, the fracture dynamics of a strand of spaghetti is modelled by elastic rod and numerically investigated by using finite-element software ABAQUS. By data fitting, two relations are obtained: the number of fracture segments in terms of rod diameter-length ratio and fracture limit curvature with the rod diameter. Results reveal that when the length is constant, the larger the diameter and/or the smaller the diameter-length ratio $D/L$, the smaller the limit curvature; and the larger the diameter-length ratio $D/L$, the fewer the number of fractured segments. The relevant formulations can be used to obtain the desired number of broken segments of spaghetti by changing the diameter-to-length ratio.