Self-organized criticality in a fibre-bundle-type model

The dynamics of a fibre-bundle-type model with equal load sharing rule is n umerically studied. The system, formed by N elements, is driven by a slow i ncrease of the load upon it which is removed in a novel way through interna l transfers to the elements broken during avalanches. When an avalanche end s, failed elements are regenerated with strengths taken from a probability distribution. For a large N and certain restrictions on the distribution of individual strengths, the system reaches a self-organized critical state w here the spectrum of avalanche sizes is a power law with an exponent tau si milar or equal to 1.5. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.