When asked to start teaching a course on engineering fracture mechanics,
I realized that a concise textbook, giving a general oversight of the
field, did not exist. The explanation is undoubtedly that the subject is
still in a stage of early development, and that the methodologies have
still a very limited applicability. It is not possible to give rules for
general application of fracture mechanics concepts. Yet our
comprehension of cracking and fracture beha viour of materials and
structures is steadily increasing. Further developments may be expected
in the not too distant future, enabling useful prediction of fracture
safety and fracture characteristics on the basis of advanced fracture
mechanics procedures. The user of such advanced procedures m\lst have a
general understanding of the elementary concepts, which are provided by
this volume. Emphasis was placed on the practical application of
fracture mechanics, but it was aimed to treat the subject in a way that
may interest both metallurgists and engineers. For the latter, some
general knowledge of fracture mechanisms and fracture criteria is
indispensable for an apprecia- tion of the limita tions of fracture
mechanics. Therefore a general discussion is provided on fracture
mechanisms, fracture criteria, and other metal- lurgical aspects,
without going into much detail. Numerous references are provided to
enable a more detailed study of these subjects which are still in a
stage of speculative treatment.
