Fracture mechanics. An introduction (Q5917731)

This book is designed to present a clear, consistent, straightforward and unified interpretation of the basic concepts and underlying principles of the discipline of fracture mechanics. The book is devided into ten chapters. The first, introductory chapter gives a brief account of some characteristic failures that could not be explained by the traditional failure criteria, and of Griffith's experiments which gave impetus to the development of a new philosophy in engineering design based on fracture mechanics. The next two chapters deal with the determination of the stress and deformation fields in cracked bodies, and provide the necessary prerequisite for the development of the criteria of fracture mechanics. More specifically, chapter 2 covers the Westergaard method for determining the linear elastic stress field in cracked bodies, with particular emphasis on the local behaviour around the crack tip, and chapter 3 is devoted to the determination of the elastic-plastic stress and displacement distribution around cracks for time-independent plasticity. Addressed in the fourth chapter is the theory of crack growth based on the global energy balance of the entire system. The fifth chapter is devoted to the critical stress intensity factor fracture criterion. The sixth chapter deals with the theoretical foundation of the path-independent \(J\)-integral and its use as a fracture criterion. Furthermore, a brief presentation of the crack opening displacement fracture criterion is given. Chapter 7 studies the underlying principles of the strain energy density theory and demonstrates its usefulness and versatility in solving a host of two- and three-dimensional problems of mixed-mode crack growth in brittle and ductile fracture. Chapter 8 presents in a concise form the basic concepts and the salient points of dynamic fracture mechanics. Addressed in chapter 9 is the phenomenon of fatigue and environment-assisted crack growth which takes place within the framework of the macroscopic scale level. Finally, chapter 10 briefly outlines the basic mechanisms of fracture which take place in metals at the microscopic scale level and presents a concise description of the more widely used nondestructive testing methods for defect detection.