On Fracture Mechanics A major objective of engineering design is the determination of the geometry and dimensions of machine or structural elements and the selection of material in such a way that the elements perform their operating function in an efficient, safe and economic manner. For this reason the results of stress analysis are coupled with an appropriate failure criterion. Traditional failure criteria based on maximum stress, strain or energy density cannot adequately explain many structural failures that occurred at stress levels considerably lower than the ultimate strength of the material. On the other hand, experiments performed by Griffith in 1921 on glass fibers led to the conclusion that the strength of real materials is much smaller, typically by two orders of magnitude, than the theoretical strength. The discipline of fracture mechanics has been created in an effort to explain these phenomena. It is based on the realistic assumption that all materials contain crack-like defects from which failure initiates. Defects can exist in a material due to its composition, as second-phase particles, debonds in composites, etc. , they can be introduced into a structure during fabrication, as welds, or can be created during the service life of a component like fatigue, environment-assisted or creep cracks. Fracture mechanics studies the loading-bearing capacity of structures in the presence of initial defects. A dominant crack is usually assumed to exist.

Within the last thirty years there is a growing acknowledgement that prevention of catastrophic failures necessitates engagement of a large pool of expertise. Herein it is not excessive to seek advice from disciplines like materials science, structural engineering, mathematics, physics, reliability engineering and even economics. Today's engineering goals, independently of size; do not have the luxury of being outsideaglobalperspective.Survivaloftheintegratedmarketsand?nancialsystems require a web of safe transportation, energy production and product manufacturing. It is perhaps the ?rst decade in engineering history that multidisciplinary - proaching is not just an idea that needs to materialise but has matured beyond infancy. We can witness such transition by examining engineering job descriptions and postgraduate curricula. The undertaking of organising a conference to re?ect the above was not easy and de?nitely, not something that was brought to life without a lot of work and c- st mitment. The 1 Conference of Engineering Against Fracture from its conceptual day until completion was designed in a way of underlying the need of bringing all the key players on a common ground that once properly cultivated can ?ourish. To achieve that the conference themes were numerous and despite their, in principle notional differences, it was apparent that the attendees established such common ground through argumentation. The reader can see this from the variety of research areas re?ected by the works and keynote lecturers presented.

On Fracture Mechanics A major objective of engineering design is the determination of the geometry and dimensions of machine or structural elements and the selection of material in such a way that the elements perform their operating function in an efficient, safe and economic manner. For this reason the results of stress analysis are coupled with an appropriate failure criterion. Traditional failure criteria based on maximum stress, strain or energy density cannot adequately explain many structural failures that occurred at stress levels considerably lower than the ultimate strength of the material. On the other hand, experiments performed by Griffith in 1921 on glass fibers led to the conclusion that the strength of real materials is much smaller, typically by two orders of magnitude, than the theoretical strength. The discipline of fracture mechanics has been created in an effort to explain these phenomena. It is based on the realistic assumption that all materials contain crack-like defects from which failure initiates. Defects can exist in a material due to its composition, as second-phase particles, debonds in composites, etc. , they can be introduced into a structure during fabrication, as welds, or can be created during the service life of a component like fatigue, environment-assisted or creep cracks. Fracture mechanics studies the loading-bearing capacity of structures in the presence of initial defects. A dominant crack is usually assumed to exist.

Within the last thirty years there is a growing acknowledgement that prevention of catastrophic failures necessitates engagement of a large pool of expertise. Herein it is not excessive to seek advice from disciplines like materials science, structural engineering, mathematics, physics, reliability engineering and even economics. Today's engineering goals, independently of size; do not have the luxury of being outsideaglobalperspective.Survivaloftheintegratedmarketsand?nancialsystems require a web of safe transportation, energy production and product manufacturing. It is perhaps the ?rst decade in engineering history that multidisciplinary - proaching is not just an idea that needs to materialise but has matured beyond infancy. We can witness such transition by examining engineering job descriptions and postgraduate curricula. The undertaking of organising a conference to re?ect the above was not easy and de?nitely, not something that was brought to life without a lot of work and c- st mitment. The 1 Conference of Engineering Against Fracture from its conceptual day until completion was designed in a way of underlying the need of bringing all the key players on a common ground that once properly cultivated can ?ourish. To achieve that the conference themes were numerous and despite their, in principle notional differences, it was apparent that the attendees established such common ground through argumentation. The reader can see this from the variety of research areas re?ected by the works and keynote lecturers presented.