fracturability

Fracturability is a term used to describe the tendency of a material or rock to fracture when subjected to applied stress. It reflects the propensity for brittle failure and the degree to which flaws or defects influence crack initiation and propagation.

Fracturability is not a single universal property. In practice, it relates to fracture mechanics concepts such as fracture toughness (K_IC) and the critical energy release rate (G_IC), as well as sensitivity to pre-existing flaws. A material with low fracture toughness or small critical flaw sizes tends to exhibit higher fracturability, all else being equal.

Several factors influence fracturability. Microstructure, grain size, porosity, and the presence of pre-existing cracks can increase fracture susceptibility. Environmental conditions such as moisture content and temperature, along with loading rate and confining pressure, also play important roles. For example, many ceramics and glasses show high fracturability due to inherent brittleness, whereas ductile metals can tolerate greater deformation before fracturing.

Applications and context. In materials engineering, fracturability helps assess the failure risk of brittle materials and informs design choices and safety margins. In geotechnical and rock mechanics, fracturability affects fracture propagation, stability analyses, and treatment strategies such as blasting or hydraulic fracturing. It is typically considered alongside strength, stiffness, and other mechanical properties to predict behavior under service conditions.

In summary, fracturability denotes the tendency to fracture under stress, linking material structure and flaws to fracture mechanics parameters. It is a useful descriptor across disciplines but lacks a universal standard value, varying with material class and loading environment. See also: fracture toughness, brittleness, fracture mechanics, flaw sensitivity.