Since the first edition published in 1991, this has been one of the top-selling books in the field. The first and second editions have been used as a required text in over 100 universities worldwide and have become indispensable reference for thousands of practising engineers as well. The third edition reflects recent advances in the field, although it still retains the characteristics that made it a best-selling title. Providing thorough coverage of a wide range of topics, this book covers both theoretical and practical aspects of fracture mechanics and integrates materials science with solid mechanics. This edition includes expanded coverage of weight functions and a new chapter on environmental cracking.

This book provides a concise discussion of fatigue crack growth (FCG) failure and lifing analysis methods for metallic aircraft structures and components. After a reasonably concise historical review, surveys are made of (i) the importance of fatigue for aircraft structural failures and the sources of fatigue nucleation and cracking, (ii) contemporary FCG lifing methods, and (iii) the Quantitative Fractography (QF) required for determining the actual FCG behaviour. These surveys are followed by the main part of the book, which is a discussion, using case histories, of the applicabilities of Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM) and non-LEFM methods for analysing service fatigue failures and full- and sub-scale test results. This discussion is derived primarily from the experiences of the Defence Science and Technology Group in Melbourne, Australia, and the Netherlands Aerospace Centre, Marknesse, the Netherlands.

This SpringerBrief discusses the determination and classification of the ambient temperature corrosion and stress corrosion properties of aerospace structural alloys, with emphasis on (1) aluminium alloys, modern (3rd generation) aluminium-lithium alloys, stainless steels and titanium alloys and (2) some of the issues involved. Standard /reference data on environmental properties, including corrosion and stress corrosion, are mandatory for the qualification and certification of materials for aerospace vehicles, and also for the design of actual structures and components. Recommendations for further testing and evaluation are given at appropriate points in the text. The book concludes with a summary of the main topics.

This publication reviews most of the available literature on the fatigue properties of annealed Ti-6Al-4V and titanium alloys with similar microstructures. The focus is on processed and heat-treated alloys because annealed Ti-6Al-4V has been selected for highly loaded and fatigue-critical structures, including the main wing-carry-through bulkheads and vertical tail stubs, of advanced high-performance military aircraft.

An important aspect of the review is a concise survey of fatigue life assessment methods and the required types of fatigue data. This survey provides the background to recommendations for further research, especially on the fatigue behaviour of annealed Ti-6Al-4V under realistic fatigue load histories, including the essential topic of short/small fatigue crack growth. Such research is required for independent fatigue life assessments that conform to the aircraft manufacturer s design requirements, and also for life reassessments that most probably will have" "to be made during the service life of the aircraft.

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In this second edition, which is the result of numerous revisions, updates and additions, the authors cover the basic concepts of fracture mechanics for both the linear elastic and elastic-plastic regimes. The fracture mechanics parameters K, G, J and CTOD are treated in a basic manner along with the text methods to determine critical values. The development of failure assessment based on elastic-plastic fracture mechanics is reflected in a comprehensive treatment. Three chapters are devoted to the fracture mechanics characterisation of crack growth. Fatigue crack growth is extensively treated and attention is paid to the important topic of the initiation and growth of short fatigue cracks. Furthermore, sustained load fracture and dynamic crack growth are discussed, including various test techniques, e.g. the determination of the crack arrest toughness. Finally, there are two chapters dealing with mechanisms of fracture and the ways in which actual material behaviour influences the fracture mechanics characterisation of crack growth. This textbook is intended primarily for engineering students. It will be useful to practising engineers as well, since it provides the background to s