Structural Life Assessment Methods

This unique, practical reference covers the full spectrum of fracture mechanics methodologies currently used in industry, with illustrations showing how to apply them. Includes practical assessment of fracture strength and safe-life of metallic structures. Places strong emphasis on problem-solving aspects of stress analysis, with a balanced approach between theory and industrial practice. Covers all aspects of fatigue-crack growth, including fundamental and metallurgical aspects, their analysis and state-of-the-art methods of representation. Also covers solutions for linear-elastic and elastic/plastic crack-tip stresses and new parameters for characterizing creep/fatigue-crack growth. Written for engineers involved in the design or analysis of structural parts and students in aeronautical, civil, mechanical or metallurgical and materials engineering. Contents: Fracture-Mechanics Fundamentals Crack Analysis Fracture Phenomena Fracture-Toughness-Data Representation Fatigue-Crack Propagation Life Assessment and Improvement Methods Determining Stress-Intensity Factors Crack-Opening-Mode Stress-Intensity-Factor Solutions Environment-Assisted Crack Growth Mixed Crack-Tip-Displacement Modes Crack-Growth Prediction Analysis Example Problems.