BOOK REVIEW

Fracture Mechanics, An Introduction(Second Edition)By E.E. Gdoutos, Springer, 369 pp., £96, ISBN 1-4020-

2863-6, 2005

Those working in the field of experimental mechanics

will often come across problems involving cracks and

will require at least a basic understanding of fracture

mechanics. Readers acquainted with the literature in

this field are likely to be familiar with the first edition

of Emmanuel Gdoutos’ introductory volume, which

appeared in 1993. This is, in turn, based on his earlier

book Fracture Mechanics Criteria and Applications, which

appeared in 1990. The second edition of Fracture

Mechanics, An Introduction was published in 2005 and

updates the earlier work by the introduction of new

chapters on composites, thin films, nanoindentation

and cementitious materials. Before examining the new

material, it is perhaps appropriate to summarise the

main part of the book which is essentially unchanged

from the first edition.

Gdoutos’ stated aim is to provide a comprehensive

introduction to the field of fracture mechanics with the

potential for use as a textbook for undergraduate and

postgraduate courses. He therefore addresses the funda-

mentals of the subject, starting with the linear elastic

case (LEFM), before extending this to elastic–plastic

materials and relating these approaches to the energy-

based perspective of Griffith. Later chapters address the

J-integral approach and mixed-mode cases, as well as

practical applications in the fields of dynamic fracture,

fatigue and micromechanics. An introductory chapter is

provided, which gives a historical view of the subject

and explains the motivation for characterisation of

cracks. Although the book starts from the level of basic

stress analysis, stress functions are introduced fairly early

on and this approach means that the book is probably

less accessible to today’s undergraduates than when the

material was first written. Postgraduate students, how-

ever should be able to handle the concepts required

without undue difficulty, although familiarity with ten-

sor notation is needed for some of the later chapters. In

contrast to the chapter on LEFM, the material on elastic–

plastic fracture is written at a more basic level and deals

essentially with the Irwin and Dugdale approaches.

Further coverage of plasticity is given later in the chapter

on the J-integral method.

The distinctive feature of the book, which sets it apart

from others in the field, is the provision of example

problems at the end of the majority of the chapters. These

will prove extremely useful, both for use on taught

courses and for the reader using the book independently.

Use of the examples will enable development of a com-

prehensive understanding of the material covered in each

chapter, although it should be pointed out that, aside

from a limited number of worked examples, answers to

the problems are not provided. Perhaps a web-based

resource could be created for these which would usefully

complement the written material.

Turning now to the additions in the second edition,

Gdoutos has added four short chapters on composite

materials, thin films, nanoindentation and cementitious

materials (i.e. concrete). The first three of these, in

particular, are important areas not often dealt with in

fracture mechanics textbooks. The chapter on composites

starts with a review of anisotropy, which is useful in its

own right, but less applicable to the micromechanics of

composite fracture than might first appear. The remain-

der of the chapter deals essentially with delamination,

mainly from an experimental perspective. In the thin-

film chapter, the case of a bi-material crack is examined,

and the Dundurs parameters are introduced to describe

material dissimilarity. The complex stress intensity factors

which occur in bi-materials are introduced, but there are

no references to later work (e.g. by Comninou) which

resolves the problem of the oscillatory singularity. Per-

haps because of the nature of the material, the new

chapters do not include example problems to match the

earlier part of the book.

In conclusion, the second edition provides a useful

update to a popular text book on fracture mechanics by

including some new material on important subjects of

topical interest. No significant changes have been made

to the earlier chapters. The book is recommended to those

seeking to develop a sound grasp of the principles of

fracture mechanics and of their application. It is parti-

cularly valuable, in my view, for the problems and worked

examples.

David NowellUniversity of Oxford

� 2006 The Author. Journal compilation � 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd j Strain (2006) 42, 315 315