46862 2018 eng 2 23 198 article Elsevier 1 -- -- -- Common fracture mechanics based fatigue considerations are usually limited to the residual lifetime determination of so-called long cracks. The extension of this concept to the total lifetime, as in the S-N curve approach, requires an adequate description of short crack propagation which cannot be based on the Delta K concept, and it must consider the crack closure phenomenon as well as its gradual build-up at the short crack stage. Further, it has to provide a meaningful definition of initial crack dimensions and a solution for the multiple crack problem at stress levels higher than the fatigue limit as it is specific for some configurations such as weldments. This paper aims at a discussion of all these points and offers possible solutions which are illustrated by examples taken from the German IBESS project on fracture mechanics based determination of the fatigue strength of weldments, the results of which will be discussed in more detail in this Special issue. Engineering fracture mechanics 10.1016/j.engfracmech.2017.04.030 0013-7944 1873-7315 04.12.2018 Uwe Zerbst Mauro Madia M. Vormwald T. Beier eng uncontrolled Fatigue strength eng uncontrolled Endurance limit eng uncontrolled Fracture mechanics eng uncontrolled Short crack propagation eng uncontrolled Multiple cracking eng uncontrolled Weldments Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten Verlagsliteratur Datei im Netzwerk der BAM verfügbar ("Closed Access")