Experimental investigations of failure of continuous brittle materials are described for various loading modes: uniaxial compression, bending of longitudinal compressed beams, and multiaxial compression. For all these loading modes, compressive cracks developed under certain conditions. The conditions of their formation are established. The formation of compressive cracks coincided with the limiting state of the system (the peak of failure load). The bearing capacity of the system depended on the material-crushing resistance. Shear failure of continuous brittle materials also took place, but only at post-peak state after a material failure by tensile and compressive cracks. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
