Master the critical intersection of plasticity and ductile fracture with this comprehensive guide, which combines decades of global expertise and advanced numerical methods to ensure the structural safety and performance of metal designs.

Plasticity and ductile fracture are two of the most critical subjects in the structural and mechanical behavior of materials, particularly for engineers involved in the design and safety assessment of metal structures. This book offers a unified and comprehensive treatment of both topics by integrating theoretical foundations, constitutive modeling, and practical case studies using advanced numerical methods. Starting with classical theories of plasticity, including stress tensors, yield criteria, hardening models, and constitutive equations, the text builds toward modern applications, including finite element formulations and real-world structural performance analysis. The text draws from the author’s extensive experience across China, Japan, Norway, and the U.S., making it a rich resource for graduate students, academic researchers, and practicing engineers in the structural, offshore, and mechanical engineering disciplines.

Yong Bai, PhD, is a Chair Professor at Zhejiang University and an internationally recognized expert in structural mechanics, plasticity, and ductile fracture. His research focuses on the nonlinear behavior and fracture response of metallic structures under complex loading conditions, with applications in offshore pipelines and energy infrastructure. He has authored 25 books and published more than 200 scientific papers, contributing significantly to the advancement of fracture mechanics and structural integrity analysis. His work has helped improve the safety and reliability of marine and offshore engineering systems.