How is an alloys resistance to fracture measured?
A number of parameters are used to measure fracture resistance, including impact energy, tear resistance, and fracture toughness. All of these measure the material’s resistance to crack extension, but fracture toughness is the test method most commonly specified for evaluating materials that will be used in fracture-critical components. An excellent reference in this area is Fracture Resistance of Aluminum Alloys by J. G. Kaufman, published jointly by The Aluminum Association and ASM International.
