Review of brittle fracture criteria in case of static and cyclic mixed mode loading

The paper gives in the first part in pressed form a survey of brittle fracture criteria using a reference intensity factor in case of static mixed mode loading. Criteria (expressed in terms of different quantities such as stress, deformation and strain energy) usually refer to a parameter that is characteristic of the material response at fracture. Criteria include information on two basic hypotheses (crack propagation direction and unstable crack growth). In the second part a generalized method is suggested for application of cyclic reference intensity factor in case of cyclic mixed mode loading. Three basic hypotheses describe crack growth direction, stable crack growth steps and unstable crack growth.