Compiles the latest information in fracture mechanics research from the world's leading scientists and engineers in the field. In addition to an extensive overview of applied fracture mechanics as it pertains to pressure vessels safety, STP 1256 features 42 peer-reviewed papers that cover: Constraint Crack Initiation; • Constraint Crack Growth; • Weldments; • Engineered Materials; • Subcritical Crack Growth; • Dynamic Loading; • and Applications.