Mathematical and Computational Analyses of Cracking Formation: Fracture Morphology and Its Evolution in Engineering Materials and Structures

After starting with basic elasticity and fracture theories in parts one and two, this book focuses on the fracture morphology that develops due to the propagation of brittle cracks or fatigue cracks. In part three, the mathematical analysis of a curved crack is precisely described, based on the perturbation method. The stability theory of interactive cracks propagating in brittle solids may help readers to understand the formation of a fractal-like cracking patterns in brittle solids, while the stability theory of crack paths helps to identify the straight versus sharply curved or sometimes wavy crack paths observed in brittle solids. In part four, the numerical simulation method of a system of multiple cracks is introduced by means of the finite element method, which may be used for the better implementation of fracture control in engineering structures. This book is part of a series on “Mathematics for Industry” and will appeal to structural engineers seeking to understand the basic backgrounds of analyses, but also to mathematicians with an interest in how such mathematical solutions are evaluated in industrial applications.