Castastrophic failure of Liberty Ships and T-2 tankers during Word War II and many ships' failures thereafter instigated extensive research into the problem of brittle fracture. Later, the failure of missiles and aircraft gave a new boost to fracture research in the late 50's and 60's. New concepts of fatigue analysis and fracture are being continuously established and refined.
The First African InterQuadrennial ICF Conference “AIQ-ICF2008” on Damage and Fracture Mechanics – Failure Analysis of Engineering Materials and Structures”, Algiers, Algeria, June 1–5, 2008 is the first in the series of InterQuadrennial Conferences on Fracture to be held in the continent of Africa. During the conference, African researchers have shown that they merit a strong reputation in international circles and continue to make substantial contributions to the field of fracture mechanics. As in most countries, the research effort in Africa is und- taken at the industrial, academic, private sector and governmental levels, and covers the whole spectrum of fracture and fatigue. The AIQ-ICF2008 has brought together researchers and engineers to review and discuss advances in the development of methods and approaches on Damage and Fracture Mechanics. By bringing together the leading international experts in the field, AIQ-ICF promotes technology transfer and provides a forum for industry and researchers of the host nation to present their accomplishments and to develop new ideas at the highest level. International Conferences have an important role to play in the technology transfer process, especially in terms of the relationships to be established between the participants and the informal exchange of ideas that this ICF offers.
A reference on the research and developments of fracture mechanics of concrete and their application to concrete structures in engineering practice. The papers are taken from the Fourth International Conference on Fracture Mechanics of Concrete Structures.
