Size effect on structural strength: a review

The article attempts a broad review of the problem of size effect or scaling of failure, which has recently come to the forefront of attention because of its importance for concrete and geotechnical engineering, geomechanics, arctic ice engineering, as well as for designing large load-bearing parts made of advanced ceramics and composites, e.g. for aircraft or ships. First, the main results of Weibull statistical theory of random strength are...