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A thermo-mechanical effect from partial conversion of fracture work into heatenergy during crack propagation is considered with a simple mathematical model. It isassumed that the heat production zone in the vicinity of the crack tip is very small. Thus, thecrack propagation process can be viewed as propagation of the crack in elastic material with apoint thermal heat source fixed at the tip of the crack. This thermal heat source generates itsown temperature and stress fields around the crack tip. It also generates a negative stressintensity factor that specifies fracture mode I and has to be accounted for in the energeticfracture criterion. The model developed may help to explain many experimental observationssuch as the increase in the specific surface energy that accompanies an increase in the crackspeed and why fracture mode I has a special role in crack propagation phenomena.