本文概述了弹塑性断裂这一课题。讨论借助于一个简单的表达式进行，该表达式允许系统地处理对裂缝控制重要的因素。这种处理方式使读者能够了解材料强度、材料韧性、使用条件、裂纹尺寸、检验水平等因素在讨论的不同点上是如何相互关联的。显然，需要更多的工作来澄清与断裂控制相关的某些问题。需要澄清的问题似乎分为以下四类。 （1） 关注如何将断裂力学模型应用于实际结构；（2） 关于实验室韧性测量的问题；（3） 涉及实际缺陷对断裂行为的影响与断裂控制计算中处理这些缺陷的方式之间关系的问题； （4） 对当前将线弹性分析结果扩展到“小规模屈服”范围之外的做法表示担忧 因此，除了讨论当前的断裂控制策略外，本次讨论还试图概述帮助开发更有效的弹塑性断裂控制实践所需的研究类型。

A general overview of the subject of elastic-plastic fracture is presented. The discussion is carried out with the aid of a simple expression which permits the factors important to fracture control to be treated systematically. Such treatment allows the reader to see how factors such as material strength, material toughness, service conditions, crack size, inspection levels, etc. are related to one another At various points in the discussion it is apparent that more work is needed to clarify certain issues relevant to fracture control. The issues to be clarified seem to group themselves into the following four categories. (1) Concerns related to how one applies fracture mechanics models to real structures;(2) Questions about measurement of toughness in the laboratory;(3) Questions involving the relationship between the effects of real imperfections on fracture behavior and the manner in which those imperfections are treated for fracture control calculations;(4) Concerns about the current practice of extending the results of linear elastic analyses beyond the range of "small scale yielding." Thus, in addition to discussing current fracture control strategies, this discussion attempts to outline the kind of research needed to help develop more effective elastic-plastic fracture control practices.