Although the basis for understanding the brittle fracture strength of ceramics was established by A. A. Griffith in 1920, much of our detailed knowledge was developed during the 1970s. This book was first published in 1979, when the science of the mechanical behaviour of engineering ceramics had reached a consolidated stage and was being applied ever increasingly to engineering situations. The bulk of the information was still scattered in scientific journals and this volume sought to consolidate these. This book presents the scientific foundations of mechanical behaviour and demonstrates how these can be used in engineering situations. The emphasis is on principles, illustrated by a careful selection of experimental data. This book will continue to have value as a reference work on this exciting subject.