Global approach, relative minima and yield criterion in Fracture Mechanics

Global approach, relative minima and yield criterion in Fracture Mechanics. We show that it is possible to predict the onset of cracking by searching relative minima of the total energy of a body, the yield criterion depending on the choice of the energies. In particular in the case where the bulk energy is elastic and the surface energy depends on the jump of the displacement, we prove that the yield criterion is formulated in terms of the stress tensor and of intrinsic curve type. To cite this (C) 2004 Academie des sciences. Publie par Elsevier SAS. Tons droits reserves.