Volume is indexed by Thomson Reuters CPCI-S (WoS). The aim of this book is to contribute to the development of new functional and structural ceramic materials, exhibiting enhanced performances and having improved lifetimes and reliability, by fostering a better understanding of their deterioration and failure mechanisms under various stress conditions and at various operating temperatures. The publication covers the topics of basic failure phenomena; indentation fracture; fracture and fractography of structural, electro- and bio- ceramics; fracture of fiber-reinforced composites; fracture of porous and laminated ceramics; defect - strength and microstructure - fracture toughness relationships; and damage mechanisms in nanoceramics.