Scaling in fracture: From rocks to earthquake physics

We introduce a statistical analysis of time series extracted from rock fracture experiments to earthquake catalogues in order to demonstrate common features underling in these processes. We demonstrate that in all considered cases a frequency-energy distribution similar with the well known in seismology Gutemberg-Richter law appears along with a waiting time distribution which can be described by a unique scaling function. The resulting scaling functions common in laboratory rock fracture effects, earthquakes and acoustic emmissions suggest a general validity for fracture processes.