The 1971 National Symposium on Fracture Mechanics was held atthe University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Ill., 31 Augustthrough 2 September 1971. H.T. Corten, Department of Theoreticaland Applied Mechanics, University of Illinois, presided as generalchairman. J.P. Gallagher, Experimental Mechanics Branch, Air ForceFlight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, served asarrangements chairman.