ICMS'2000

The International Conference on Multiphase Systems, ICMS'2000
Ufa, RUSSIA, June 15-17, 2000

Morozov N., Vakulenko A.

St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia

XIX century scientists supposed the process of fracture to be an instant spontaneous action. Unlike them scientists of the XX century quite clearly realize that the fracture process has a particular latent stage. The valuable contribution of V.V.~No\-vo\-zhi\-lov, L.M.~Ka\-cha\-nov, Y.N.~Ra\-bot\-nov and others to the conforming of this statement must be admitted. However, it should be noted that even the authors, who understand the importance of the fracture preparation stage, take the above-mentioned statement into consideration only on the base of phenomenological method, according to the principle of a black box without revelation and comprehension of processes, taking place in a medium (E.g. [1]). At the same time the study of these processes is certainly the urgent task of fracture mechanics. The given work aims to make an attempt to progress in this sphere. We'll take two well-known experimental facts as a basis. These facts are: a) fracture is connected with thermal processes b) preparation processes are determined by the rise and shifting of defects.