The mechanical properties of (Bi, Pb)SrCaCuO (BSCCO) are examined. Par
ticular attention is paid to the effects of porosity an the elastic mo
dulus, the flexural strength, the hardness and the fracture toughness.
A study of the effects of porosity on these properties is crucial in
developing a clearer idea of the behaviour of BSCCO conductors in serv
ice and is a prerequisite for modelling using, for example, finite ele
ment techniques. Experiments ape carried out which show the effect of
pore volume on the mechanical properties and the effect of processing
on the fracture toughness. It is found that the critical defect length
in BSCCO is surprisingly large and this has important implications fo
r the processing of the materials and for the limits of application.