Thermodynamic basis for viscoelastic and non-isothermal fracture mechanics

Stability criteria for crack propagation have been analysed which are based on the second law of thermodynamics. The isothermal case has been studied both for elastic and viscoelastic materials. The non-isothermal criteria have been considered with particular attention to a fast adiabatic loading process.The thermodynamic constitutive equations which are demanded and their relationships with the elastic energy have been analyzed.