Course detail

Applied Fracture Mechanics

FSI-9ALM Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester

Applied Fracture Mechanics – Fundamentals and Applications
This course for PhD students provides treatment of fracture mechanics that should appear to a relatively wide audience. Theoretical background and practical applications for metals, polymers and ceramic are covered in detail. Theoretical part: fundamental concepts of linear elastic and elastic-plastic fracture mechanics; micromechanisms of fracture in metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Application – experimental part: practical procedure to fracture toughness testing in metals; standard test methods, such as KIc, KId, JIc and Ji-da curves determination, as well as recent research results; fracture testing of non metallic materials (ceramics, polymers); available methods for applying fracture mechanics to structures; fracture mechanics approach to fatigue crack propagation.

Language of instruction

Czech

Entry knowledge

Good knowledge of strength properties of materials and mechanical properties testing.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Final exam has an oral part only.
The PhD student has to write an essay and/or prepare and orally make presentation about fracture mechanics applications with respect to his/her research work.

Aims

The aim of this course is to widen the ability of the PhD student in fracture mechanics especially in experimental methods for materials properties determination and fracture mechanics application for structural safety assessment.
PhD student will obtain knowledge about fracture toughness measurements methods and procedures for different kinds of material (metals, ceramics, polymers and their composites). And, in addition, obtained data interpretation and fracture mechanics applications in engineering and development is to be enlighted.

The study programmes with the given course

Programme D-IME-P: Applied Mechanics, Doctoral, recommended course

Programme D-MAT-P: Materials Sciences, Doctoral, recommended course

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

20 hours, optionally

Syllabus

1. Fundamental concepts of linear elastic fracture mechanics.
2. Elastic-plastic fracture mechanics; michromechanisms of fracture in metals, polymers, ceramics and composites.
3. Applications portion: practical procedure on fracture toughness testing in metals; standard test methods, such as KIc, KId, JIc determination.
4. Recent research results with materials development based on fracture toughness testing (in both metallic and non metallic materials).
5. Available methods for applying fracture mechanics to structures; fracture mechanics approach to fatigue crack propagation.
Actual content of the course may be modified with respect to PhD thesis of a student and request of supervisor.