ON THE FUNDAMENTAL ENERGY ARGUMENT OF ELASTIC FRACTURE-MECHANICS

Energy arguments remain, even today, as probably the most fundamental physically-reasoned justification for the application of linear elasti c fracture mechanics to brittle materials. Accordingly, they have attr acted and continue to attract quite a number of investigations. Not al l of these studies employ the same approach. Unfortunately, nor do the y all lead to the same conclusions regarding the implications of elast ic fracture mechanics. Here, by examining the energy balance of fractu re mechanics from a classical physics viewpoint, equivalent valid appr oaches are identified. This in turn enables the various contributions over the years to be placed in perspective with respect to whether or not they are correct.