Fundamentals of Fracture Mechanics

Fundamentals of Fracture Mechanics is an advanced undergraduate and graduate level textbook that aims to explore the methods used to diagnosis cracking defects within materials or structures and determine if the defects have potential to grow or damage the mechanics of the structure. It will provide a solid mathematical/numerical foundation under the assumption that the reader has a working knowledge of calculus, as well as in-depth coverage of microstructural origins of fracture toughness in polymers, metals, composites and microelectronic devices. The major emphasis of the book will be on Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM), since most real-world fracture problems fall within this regime. In addition to the LEFM analytical model, the book will cover material on elastic/plastic fracture, which has particular importance in applications where structural materials are under great stress, such as with pressure vessels and piping system. This new text is designed to provide engineering students with a maximum of useful knowledge that they can apply to real design problems. The student will gain insight into the applications of fracture mechanics in problem solving across a broad range of disciplines, from microelectronic devices to biomedical applications to large-scale structural applications such as pressure vessels and aircraft. Includes critique of the classical approaches to fracture and the need for a more global approach Discusses computations of stress intensity parameters for various crack/load geometries, including the Westergaard technique Numerical techniques using finite element analysis (FEA)are developed for specific and complex load/crack geometriesAntolovich, Stephen D. is the author of 'Fundamentals of Fracture Mechanics ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780123693846 and ISBN 0123693845.