This volume concerns the fracture and fragmentation of solid materials that occurs when they are subjected to extremes of stress applied at the highest possible rates. The plan for the volume is to address experimental, theoretical, and com putational aspects of high-rate dynamic fracture and fragmentation, with emphasis on recent work. We begin with several chapters in which the emphasis falls on experimental methods and observations. These chapters address both macroscopic responses and the microscopic cause of these re sponses. This is followed by several chapters emphasizing modeling-the...