This is not just another book on fracture mechanics. In recent years, there have been many books published on this subject in an attempt to assess the state of the art and its applications. The majority of the work dealt with energy release rate or critical stress intensity factor and is applicable only to fracture toughness testing. The main reason for this restriction is that the energy release concept cannot easily be extended to mixed mode fracture that occurs in practice as the rule rather than the exception. Cracks will normally curve or turn because the direction of loading can change...

The last decade has seen a significant growth in the processing and fabrication of advanced composite materials. This volume contains the up-to-date contributions of those with working experience in the automotive, marine, aerospace and construction field. Starting with modern technologies concerned with assessing the change in material microstructure in terms of the processing parameters, methodologies are offered to account for tradeoffs between the fundamental variables such as temperature and pressure that control the product quality. The book contains new ideas and data, not available in...

With the advent of the 80's there has been an increasing need for analytic and numerical techniques, based on a thorough understanding of microstructural processes, that express in a manner suitable for practicing engineers the reliability of components and structures that are being subjected to degradation situations. Such situations fall within the framework offracture mechanics, fatigue, corrosion fatigue and pitting corrosion. Luckily, such techniques are now being developed and it was felt timely to combine in one volume reports by the leaders in this field who are currently making great...

The assessment of crack initiation and/or propagation has been the subject of many past discussions on fracture mechanics. Depending on how the chosen failure criterion is combined with the solution of a particular theory of continuum mechanics, the outcome could vary over a wide range. Mod elling of the material damage process could be elusive if the scale level of observation is left undefined. The specification of physical dimension alone is not sufficient because time and temperature also play an intimate role. It is only when the latter two variables are fixed that failure predictions...

Rail integrity is a current application of engineering fracture mechanics at a practical level. Although railroad rails have been manufactured and used for more than a century, it is only in the last ten years that the effects of their crack propagation and fracture characteristics have been considered from a rational viewpoint. The J, Jractical objectives are to develop damage tolerance delines for rail inspection and to improve the fracture resistance of new rail productiOn. Rail fatigue crack propagation rates and fracture resistance are strongly influenced by residual stresses, which are...

In this volume on the mechanics of fracture of Portland cement concrete, the general theme is the connection between microstructural phenomena and macroscopic models. The issues addressed include techniques for observation over a wide range of scales, the influence of .microcracking on common measures of strength and de formability , and ultimately, the relationship between microstructural changes in concrete under load and its resistance to cracking. It is now commonly accepted that, in past attempts to force-fit the behavior of concrete into the rules of linear elastic fracture mechanics,...

This is not just another book on fracture mechanics. In recent years, there have been many books published on this subject in an attempt to assess the state of the art and its applications. The majority of the work dealt with energy release rate or critical stress intensity factor and is applicable only to fracture toughness testing. The main reason for this restriction is that the energy release concept cannot easily be extended to mixed mode fracture that occurs in practice as the rule rather than the exception. Cracks will normally curve or turn because the direction of loading can change...

''It is true that "Nothing is more practical than a theory" Provided - however - That the assumptions on which the theory is founded Are well understood. - But, indeed, engineering experience shows that "Nothing can be more disastrous than a theory When applied to a real problem Outside of the practicailimits of the assumptions made," Because of an homonymous identity With the problem under consideration. " (J. T. P. ) The primary objective of this work is to present the theories of analytical and optical isodynes and the related measurement procedures in a manner com patible with the modem...

It is difficult to do justice to fracture mechanics in a textbook, for the subject encompasses so many disciplines. A general survey of the field would serve no purpose other than give a collection of references. The present book by Professor E. E. Gdoutos is refreshing because it does not fall into the esoteric tradition of outlining equations and results. Basic ideas and underlying principles are clearly explained as to how they are used in application. The presentations are concise and each topic can be understood by advanced undergraduates in material science and continuum mechanics. The...

The conventional approach to through-life-support for aircraft structures can be divided into the following phases: (i) detection of defects, (ii) diagnosis of their nature and significance, (iii) forecasting future behaviour-prognosis, and (iv) pre scription and implementation of remedial measures including repairs. Considerable scientific effort has been devoted to developing the science and technology base for the first three phases. Of particular note is the development of fracture mechanics as a major analytical tool for metals, for predicting residual strength in the presence of cracks...