There are many different types of crack types and geometries that can occur in structures, whether caused by manufacturing defects, poor process control, or during the intended service.
Fracture mechanics testing including fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth testing is important to the safe design and operation of structures. In this paradigm, the fracture toughness of a material describes the ability of the material to withstand a static load before failure. The durability of the material is measured by the rate of fatigue crack growth in which cyclic loading grows a crack over time.
There are many different types of crack types and geometries that can occur in structures, whether caused by manufacturing defects, poor process control, or naturally during the intended service. The most commonly evaluated crack is what is considered a through-flaw in which the flaw penetrates all the way through the thickness of the part. Methods for evaluating a through-flaw are readily available and well-known.