The 1971 National Symposium on Fracture Mechanics was held at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Ill., 31 August through 2 September 1971. H.T. Corten, Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois, presided as general chairman. J.P. Gallagher, Experimental Mechanics Branch, Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, served as arrangements chairman.