Providing an integrated approach to the problem of fracture, fatigue and safe design, with particular reference to advanced theories and novel computational approaches, this book contains the edited versions of most of the papers presented at the Seventh International Conference on Assessment and Control of Damage and Fracture Mechanics.

Almost 50 papers are included and these make an important contribution to the state of the art in Damage and Fracture Mechanics. They are divided under the following headings: Fracture Mechanics and Fracture Criteria; Dynamic Fracture; Crack Propagation and Control; Fatigue; Experimental and Computational Methods; Material Characterisation Issues; Composite Materials; and Biomechanics.