Abstract

Clarified have been the formulations of fracture mechanics (FM) included in the present applied standards for welded structures (Eurocode 3, ЕN 13445, EN 13480). Considered have been the main criteria of fracture mechanics for analytical assessment of structural integrity against brittle fracture of the elastic-plastic materials, while special space has been devoted to the concepts of the “FAD” and the “Master-curve”. The opportunity has been shown to use the conventional toughness criterion, shock toughness as per Charpy-V, by means of correlation relationships with the FM criteria.