"This textbook introduces the thermodynamics of irreversible processes along with entropy to address the time dependency of fracture. Working from observations of structural failure, the book identifies the principal failure types such as brittle damage, with considerations of solo crack initiation and collective distributed damage, and ductile failure, when a crack blunts immediately on application of stress resulting in large deformation. It then addresses the life of a structure in a specific environment and load condition, using irreversible thermodynamics and the entropy criterion to address cooperative fracture, and novel statistical fracture mechanics to address solo fracture. The book is ideal for graduate students and design engineers in civil and materials engineering, as well as mechanical and chemical engineering"--