Dynamic fracture in solids has attracted much attention for over a century from engineers as well as physicists due both to its technological interest and to inherent scientific curiosity. Rapidly applied loads are encountered in a number of technical applications. In some cases such loads might be applied deliberately, as for example in problems of blasting, mining, and comminution or fragmentation; in other cases, such dynamic loads might arise from accidental conditions. Regardless of the origin of the rapid loading, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms and mechanics of fracture under dynamic loading conditions in order to design suitable procedures for assessing the susceptibility to fracture. Quite apart from its repercussions in the area of structural integrity, fundamental scientific curiosity has continued to play a large role in engendering interest in dynamic fracture problems In-depth coverage of the mechanics, experimental methods, practical applications Summary of material response of different materials Discussion of unresolved issues in dynamic fracture

This volume focuses on the development and analysis of mathematical models of fracture phenomena.

From time to time the International Journal of Fracture has presented matters thought to be of special interest to its readers. In previous special issues (December 1980 and April 1981), Dr H.W. Liu as Guest Editor presented a series of review papers dealing with fatigue processes and characteristics in metals and non-metals. Continuing this policy, which is consistent with our stated objectives, a second review dealing with time depen dence in the fracture process, including the effect of material inertia but essentially excluding very strong shock effects in solids, has been assembled under the generic term "dynamic fracture". We hope that the ensuing state-of-the-art review will yield an instructive and timely product which readers will find useful. To assist us in presenting this subject, we have prevailed upon a well-known worker in dynamic fracture, Dr W.G. Knauss, Professor of Aeronautics and Applied Mechanics, California Institute of Technology to act as Guest Editor for this special double issue. On behalf of the editors and publisher, I wish to express our indebtedness to Professor Knauss and his invited authors for undertaking this special effort.

Covering a wide variety of topics in dynamic fracture mechanics, this volume presents state-of-the-art experimental techniques and theoretical analysis on dynamic fracture in standard and exotic materials. Written by world renowned researchers, this valuable compendium contains eleven chapters on crack initiation, crack propagation, crack arrest, crack-stress wave interactions, and experimental, analytical and numerical methods in dynamic fracture mechanics. Contents: Modeling Dynamic Fracture Using Large-Scale Atomistic Simulations (H-J Gao & M J Buehler); Dynamic Crack Initiation Toughness (D Rittel); The Dynamics of Rapidly Moving Tensile Cracks in Brittle Amorphous Material (J Fineberg); Optical Methods for Dynamic Fracture Mechanics (H V Tippur); On the Use of Strain Gages in Dynamic Fracture (V Parameswaran & A Shukla); Dynamic and Crack Arrest Fracture Toughness (R E Link & R Chona); Dynamic Fracture in Graded Materials (A Shukla & N Jain); Dynamic Fracture Initiation Toughness at Elevated Temperatures with Application to the New Generation of Titanium Aluminides Alloys (M Shazly et al.); Dynamic Fracture of Nanocomposite Materials (A Shukla et al.). Readership: Researchers, practitioners, and graduate students in fracture mechanics and materials science.

The aim of this thesis is the simulation of progressive damage in brittle materials due to cracking. With this aim, the mathematical crack model will be solved using the eXtended Finite Element Method for the spatial discretization and time integration schemes for the numerical integration in the time domain. The time integration schemes considered are the Generalized-? method, the continuous GALERKIN method and the discontinuous GALERKIN method.

In this book a new phenomenological approach to brittle medium fracture initiation under shock pulses is developped. It provides an opportunity to estimate fracture of media with and without macrodefects. A qualitative explanation is thus obtained for a number of principally important effects of high-speed dynamic fracture that cannot be clarified within the framework of previous approaches. It is possible to apply this new strategy to resolve applied problems of disintegration, erosion, and dynamic strength determination of structural materials. Specialists can use the methods described to determine critical characteristics of dynamic strength and optimal effective fracture conditions for rigid bodies. This book can also be used as a special educational course on deformation of materials and constructions, and fracture mechanics.

The Springer Handbook of Experimental Solid Mechanics documents both the traditional techniques as well as the new methods for experimental studies of materials, components, and structures. The emergence of new materials and new disciplines, together with the escalating use of on- and off-line computers for rapid data processing and the combined use of experimental and numerical techniques have greatly expanded the capabilities of experimental mechanics. New exciting topics are included on biological materials, MEMS and NEMS, nanoindentation, digital photomechanics, photoacoustic characterization, and atomic force microscopy in experimental solid mechanics. Presenting complete instructions to various areas of experimental solid mechanics, guidance to detailed expositions in important references, and a description of state-of-the-art applications in important technical areas, this thoroughly revised and updated edition is an excellent reference to a widespread academic, industrial, and professional engineering audience.

The aim of this major reference work is to provide a first point of entry to the literature for the researchers in any field relating to structural integrity in the form of a definitive research/reference tool which links the various sub-disciplines that comprise the whole of structural integrity. Special emphasis will be given to the interaction between mechanics and materials and structural integrity applications. Because of the interdisciplinary and applied nature of the work, it will be of interest to mechanical engineers and materials scientists from both academic and industrial backgrounds including bioengineering, interface engineering and nanotechnology. The scope of this work encompasses, but is not restricted to: fracture mechanics, fatigue, creep, materials, dynamics, environmental degradation, numerical methods, failure mechanisms and damage mechanics, interfacial fracture and nano-technology, structural analysis, surface behaviour and heart valves. The structures under consideration include: pressure vessels and piping, off-shore structures, gas installations and pipelines, chemical plants, aircraft, railways, bridges, plates and shells, electronic circuits, interfaces, nanotechnology, artificial organs, biomaterial prostheses, cast structures, mining... and more. Case studies will form an integral part of the work.