Fracture mechanics in design and service: ‘living with defects’ - Fracture mechanics and the design of wood structures

Abstract

Applications of linear-elastic fracture mechanics concepts for treating brittle fracture of wood and wood products are discussed. The influence of orthotropic elasticity and heterogeneity of wood structure on the computational and experimental aspects of wood fracture are introduced. Several applications of fracture mechanics for the development of design criteria in timber engineering are discussed to illustrate the potential benefits of application of fracture mechanics in design codes.