Fracture and Size Effect in Concrete and Other Quasibrittle Materials (New Directions in Civil Engineering)

Fracture and Size Effect in Concrete and Other Quasibrittle Materials is the first in-depth text on the application of fracture mechanics to the analysis of failure in concrete structures. The book synthesizes a vast number of recent research results in the literature to provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic that does not give merely the facts - it provides true understanding. The many recent results on quasibrittle fracture and size effect, which were scattered throughout many periodicals, are compiled here in a single volume. This book presents a well-rounded discussion of the theory of size effect and scaling of failure loads in structures. The size effect, which is the most important practical manifestation of fracture behavior, has become a hot topic. It has gained prominence in current research on concrete and quasibrittle materials. The treatment of every subject in Fracture and Size Effect in Concrete and Other Quasibrittle Materials proceeds from simple to complex, from specialized to general, and is as concise as possible using the simplest level of mathematics necessary to treat the subject clearly and accurately. Whether you are an engineering student or a practicing engineer, this book provides you with a clear presentation, including full derivations and examples, from which you can gain real understanding of fracture and size effect in concrete and other quasibrittle materials. Booknews Focuses on the theory of scaling of the failure loads of structures, and particularly the size effect on the strength of structures. The discussion of quasibrittle materials centers on concrete, but also addresses rocks, toughened ceramics, ice, composites, and other materials. The authors consider the statistical and fractal aspects of size effect. The work is intended to serve as both a textbook for graduate level engineering courses and a reference volume for engineers and scientists. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. Fracture and Size Effect is the first textbook on the application of fracture mechanics to the analysis of failure and size effect in concrete structure. This in-depth text synthesizes a vast number of recent research results in the literature to provide a comprehensive treatment of the topic that does not just give you the facts - it provides you with true understanding. Fracture mechanics is a failure theory that 1. determines material failure by energy criteria, possibly in conjunction with strength (or yield) criteria, and 2. considers failure to be propagating throughout the structure rather than simultaneous throughout the entire failure zone or surface.