How to use damage mechanics

The background of continuum damage mechanics is first presented in the framework of thermodynamics with some examples of constitutive equations for ductile damage, creep damage and fatigue damage. After the general scheme of structural calculations for macro-crack initiation, through non-coupled or coupled strain damage equations, some examples of “simple applications” are given: fracture limits of metal forming, surface initial damage in fatigue, creep fatigue interaction, and bifurcation of cracks.