Held every four years, the International Congress on Fracture is the premier international forum for the exchange of ideas between scientists and engineers involved in producing and using materials resistant to fracture and fatigue. This major six-volume work which forms the proceedings of the Seventh International Congress on Fracture therefore provides the most comprehensive account available of the current status of research into fracture and fatigue, and the application of this knowledge to the design, fabrication and operation of materials and structures. As such, it will be an essential reference for materials scientists and mechanical, structural, aeronautical and design engineers with an interest in fracture and its prevention.