Formal analysis of subcritical crack growth under monotonic loading

The article analyzes the equation of energy balance in integral form which made it possible to formulate a number of considerations concerning the conditions of applicability of criterial characteristics used in fracture mechanics, and to suggest a new criterion which, in the present author's opinion, characterizes more rigorously the conditions of failure of brittle materials.Translated from Problemy Prochnosti, No. 7, pp. 19–23, July, 1990.