Description

The application of fracture mechanics and approaches for exploring the impact of cracks on engineering structures. Topics will be chosen from a range of mathematical techniques, applied mechanics, and materials science, e.g. theoretical strength, stress concentration, linear and nonlinear fracture mechanics, stress singularity, fracture modes, energy methods, stable and unstable crack growth thermal cracks, crack tip plastic zone, Dugdale and Irwin models, the R-curve, power-law materials, and the J-integral. Students should have a good understanding of the principles of strengths of materials and be able to apply these principles to the solution of problems in solid mechanics. The associated knowledge in complex variables and partial differential equations will be reviewed as needed.