Question

Fracture toughness is a measure of:

• A. Strength
• B. Hardness
• C. Resistance to crack propagation
• D. Ductility

Hint:

Fracture toughness quantifies a material’s resistance to crack growth — crucial for ensuring safe performance of components with defects.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Fracture toughness is a material property that quantifies the ability of a material with an existing flaw or crack to resist further fracture. It is denoted by \( K_{IC} \) under plane strain conditions and is measured in units of \( \text{MPa} \cdot \sqrt{\text{m}} \).
A high fracture toughness value indicates that the material can withstand crack propagation and continue to absorb energy without immediate catastrophic failure.
Key distinctions:
- Strength refers to the maximum stress a material can withstand before failure.
- Hardness is resistance to localized plastic deformation (indentation).
- Ductility is the material's ability to undergo significant plastic deformation before rupture.
While these properties are important, fracture toughness specifically addresses how a material behaves when cracks are already present.