GENERAL OVERVIEW ASTM Committee E08 on Fatigue and Fracture was formed in 1993 from the merger of Committees E09 and E24. E08 meets twice a year, in May and November, with approximately 75 members attending two days of technical meetings and one or two days of workshops and symposia. The Committee, with a membership of approximately 500, has jurisdiction over 32 standards published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 3.01. Committee E08 has six technical subcommittees that maintain these standards. Information on this subcommittee structure and E08’s portfolio of approved standards and work items underdevelopment is available from the List of Subcommittees, Standards, and Work Items. ACTIVITIES, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES The technical subcommittees of E08 focus on the areas of fatigue and fracture of materials. The subcommittees concentrate on all phenomena related to cyclic deformation, damage accumulation, crack formation, crack growth, and fracture of either material or structures. This information is then used to study the relationship between fatigue and fracture behavior in material characteristics, design details, and operational details. The committee has had new ballot activity in several areas. Recent activity in Subcommittee E08.05 on Cyclic Deformation and Fatigue Crack Formation includes the approval of three standards on thin, reflecting films using an optical interferometer. In Subcommittee E08.03 on Advanced Apparatus and Techniques a new standard has been approved that verifies E 2443, Guide for Verifying Computer-Generated Test Results Through the Use of Standard Data Sets. Also, there has been work on revising such standards as E 399, Test Method for Linear-Elastic Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness KIc of Metallic Materials, to reflect new information and technology. Committee E08 has a very successful workshop and symposia program. A symposium is typically held with each committee week meeting and there may be a workshop as well. Within E08, there are reoccurring workshop and symposia. For example, Committee E08 has a very successful student outreach program. As a result of this outreach, E08 sponsors a student workshop annually at its November committee week, typically on Wednesday mornings. Also, E08 has a long history of cosponsoring symposia with the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS). The Seventh International ASTM/ESIS Symposium on Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics (36th National Symposium on Fatigue and Fracture Mechanics) will be held in 2007. This event rotates every other year between a European location and a U.S. location, typically in conjunction with E08’s regularly scheduled May meeting PARTICIPATING AS A MEMBER ON THE COMMITTEE ASTM International opens its doors to all technical experts with an interest in the standardization process. As a member of ASTM Committee E08, you will be exposed to the robust resources and member benefits included below that have helped make ASTM a worldwide standards development leader for more than a century: Network with industry professionals worldwide Receive one free volume of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards (in print or CD) Use Internet-based Standards Development Forums and E-Balloting Receive discounts on all ASTM publications Keep up to date through a free subscription to ASTM’s monthly magazine - Standardization News Benefit from reduced fees for attendance at ASTM symposia and technical workshops And more Members can participate from anywhere because of ASTM’s customized web-based systems. The best way to contribute as a member is to (1) participate in task group activities that are of interest, both virtually and in person, and (2) vote on ballots and provide feedback and recommendations. To participate in standards activities, start by identifying Work Items of interest by reviewing the List of Subcommittees, Standards, and Work Items. Contact task group leaders for those areas of interest by reviewing the Work Item summary pages and securing contact information available through the on-line roster in the member area. To make the most of your voting and participation, be sure to stipulate which specific subcommittees you wish to participate in when you join. You will then receive notices of ballots that open within these groups. In order to continue to promote standards objectives for this fast-paced industry, E08 uses ASTM’s interactive media. This approach includes our web-based Interactive Forums, a document review and development system always available for capturing comments and maturing documents. Additionally, the Committee conducts virtual meetings in conjunction with conference calls, to accelerate document development and increase participation of its global membership in a real-time format. STAKEHOLDERS Committee E08 is largely composed of users, government, academia, and producers. Producers are generally those individuals or companies that manufacture products in any given area of standardization by the Committee. This may include material production (metal manufacturer) or end unit product production (aircraft manufacturer). Users may include various providers of services, for example a test lab. Government laboratories and professors tend to be users as well. RELATIONSHIP WITH INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND REGULATION Committee E08 has an outstanding relationship with the government. E08 members include representatives of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and national testing laboratories. Representatives from these agencies work closely with members of industry and academia to develop useful, industry relevant standards. Industry representatives include members from Japan Steel Works, Alcoa, Boeing, Disney, Instron, and Westinghouse. E08 standards may also be used for engineering design, where companies rely on the standards for material specifications and performance requirements to be achieved by their devices. E08 standards facilitate communication with suppliers for the purposes of material procurement or product requirements. Independent laboratorial studies and universities use them for standard protocols. LIAISON Committee E08 is known for the technical expertise of its membership. E08 has members from 25 different countries who gather to develop consensus standards and participate in symposia on fatigue and fracture. As a result of this extensive reach, Committee E08 has formed a number of liaisons with organizations throughout the world. E08 and the European Structural Integrity Society (ESIS) cosponsor symposia on an annual basis, with the event rotating between a U.S. location – generally in conjunction with an ASTM meeting – and a European location. E08 also has a relationship with the International Organization on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies (SMST) where the two parties plan to sponsor symposia as well. Finally, E08 is furthering its relationship with the SAE International (formerly the Society of Automotive Engineers). Members of the two organizations have worked closely for years, and E08 is examining ways to expand the relationship. Members from Committee E08 actively participate on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 164 on Mechanical Testing of Materials, specifically on Subcommittees 4 on Toughness testing and 5 on Fatigue testing. Members of E08 work with ISO to prevent duplication of effort in the standardization process and to avoid confusion for those in industry. LINKS AND INFORMATION The following websites have been identified by Committee E08 to contain information of interest. US National Committee on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics: http://www7.nationalacademies.org/usnctam/index.html

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