Mechanics of Fatigue

Mechanics of Fatigue addresses the range of topics concerning damage, fatigue, and fracture of engineering materials and structures. The core of this resource builds upon the synthesis of micro- and macro-mechanics of fracture. In micromechanics, both the modeling of mechanical phenomena on the level of material structure and the continuous approach are based on the use of certain internal field parameters characterizing the dispersed micro-damage. This is referred to as continuum damage mechanics.

The author develops his own theory for macromechanics, called analytical fracture mechanics. This term means the system cracked body - loading or loading device - is considered as a mechanical system and the tools of analytical (rational) mechanics are applied thoroughly to describe crack propagation until the final failure.

Chapter discuss:

preliminary information on fatigue and engineering methods for design of machines and structures against failures caused by fatigue

fatigue crack nucleation, including microstructural and continuous models

theory of fatigue crack propagation

fatigue crack growth in linear elastic materials subject to dispersed damage

fatigue cracks in elasto-plastic material, including crack growth retardation due to overloading as well as quasistationary approximation

fatigue and related phenomena in hereditary solids

application of the theory fatigue crack growth considering environmental factors

unidirectional fiber composites with ductile matrix and brittle, initially continuous fibers

laminate composites

Mechanics of Fatigue serves students dealing with mechanical aspects of fatigue, conducting research in fracture mechanics, structural safety, mechanics of composites, as well as modern branches of mechanics of solids and structures.