Abstract：The development history of fracture mechanics from two-dimensional theory to three-dimensional (3D) theory is reviewed in this paper. The two- and three-parameter descriptions of K-Tz, J-Tz, K-T-Tz and J-QT-Tz for 3D crack border field, as well as the 3D elastic and elastic-plastic fracture criterions and the 3D fatigue crack closure models are introduced. The applications of 3D fracture theory in damage tolerance analyses for aircraft structures are described in details for some practical cases. It is shown that the damage tolerance predictable design capability of aircraft structures can be achieved by correct consideration of the influences of out-of-plane and in-plane constraints on the crack border fields, fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth properties.
2010, Vol. 31 
