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The methods to assess structural strength and fracture theories have
been developed for several decades, and have been successful for many specific
engineering applications. Here we report the recent progresses from
two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) fracture theories based on twoand
three-parameter descriptions, such as K-Tz, J-Tz and K-T-Tz, J-QT-Tz, and
their applications in bridging the gap from academic researches and material tests
in laboratories to practical engineering structures. Here, T and Q are parameters
for in-plane constraints, while Tz is the out-of-plane constraint factor as a ratio of
the out-of-plane stress to the sum of in-plane stresses. The following critical
issues will be addressed: 1) From 2D fracture mechanics to 3D fracture mechanics;
2) From tensile to mixed mode loadings; 3) From static/toughness to
fatigue/durability; 4) From ambient to complex environments; 5) From empirical
design to predictive design; 6) From design to fatigue life assessment.