MECHANICS OF BRITTLE FRACTURE

Abstract

Attempt is made at a classification of models of brittle fracture mechanism and at tracing their interdependence with rheological properties of medium. Definitions of brittle body and ideally brittle body are given. Based on the above, some models of fracture are classified, and the corresponding formal criteria of fracture are discussed. Detailed examination of energy criterion by Griffith is made, and relation is derived which expresses this criterion for an arbitrary rheological model of medium. This expression is simplified for the case of ideally brittle material. General considerations are illustrated by an examination of cracks in elastic and linearly visco-elastic media.