Brittleness

The tendency of a material to fracture with little or no plastic deformation, as seen in glass and many cured thermosets. Brittle materials are sensitive to flaws, notches and impact, and fail suddenly rather than yielding.

Also known as: brittle behaviour, brittle fracture

Related terms

Ductility

The capacity of a material to undergo significant permanent deformation before fracture, as displayed by most metals and many thermoplastics. Ductile behaviour gives visible warning of overload and allows local stresses to redistribute.

Materials science (general)AerospaceAutomotiveConstructionMarineGreen energyIndustrial

Fracture toughness

A material's resistance to the propagation of a crack from an existing flaw. It underpins damage-tolerant design, and in laminates the related interlaminar fracture toughness describes resistance to delamination growth.

Materials science (general)Testing & standardsAerospaceAutomotiveConstructionMarineGreen energyIndustrial

Toughness

The ability of a material to absorb energy and deform without fracturing, combining strength with ductility. Tough materials resist impact and flaw growth, whereas strong but brittle materials can fail suddenly.

Materials science (general)AerospaceAutomotiveConstructionMarineGreen energyIndustrial

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