Thermal Effects in Fracture of Multiphase Materials Book

The main subject of this volume is determined by the study of the thermodynamics of fracture processes in multiphase materials. Different approaches of constitutive modelling concerning the fracture behaviour were discussed by considering the influences of microdamage processes as well as of the microstructure onto the fracture mechanisms arising in mechanically and/or thermally loaded heterogeneous materials. Moreover, by applying thermodynamic energy balance equations to fracture processes in multiphase thermoelastoplastic materials the prediction of prospective paths of extending micro- and macrocracks were discussed. Finally, experimental results failure mechanisms of different composite systems were presented by consideration of the microstructure of those heterogeneous materials.