Brittle fracture in glass

Brittle fracture in cast iron tensile testpieces

Graph comparing stress-strain curves for brittle and ductile materials

A material is brittle if, when subjected to stress, it breaks without significant deformation (strain). Brittle materials absorb relatively little energy prior to fracture, even those of high strength. Breaking is often accompanied by a snapping sound. Brittle materials include most ceramics and glasses (which do not deform plastically) and some polymers, such as PMMA and polystyrene. Many steels become brittle at low temperatures (see ductile-brittle transition temperature), depending on their composition and processing.

When used in materials science, it is generally applied to materials that fail when there is little or no evidence of plastic deformation before failure. One proof is to match the broken halves, which should fit exactly since no plastic deformation has occurred.

When a material has reached the limit of its strength, it usually has the option of either deformation or fracture. A naturally malleable metal can be made stronger by impeding the mechanisms of plastic deformation (reducing grain size, precipitation hardening, work hardening, etc.), but if this is taken to an extreme, fracture becomes the more likely outcome, and the material can become brittle. Improving material toughness is therefore a balancing act.

Toughening[link]

This principle generalizes to other classes of material. Naturally brittle materials, such as glass, are not difficult to toughen effectively. Most such techniques involve one of two mechanisms: to deflect or absorb the tip of a propagating crack, or to create carefully controlled residual stresses so that cracks from certain predictable sources will be forced closed. The first principle is used in laminated glass where two sheets of glass are separated by an interlayer of polyvinyl butyral, which as a viscoelastic polymer absorbs the growing crack. The second method is used in toughened glass and pre-stressed concrete. A demonstration of glass toughening is provided by Prince Rupert's Drop. Brittle polymers can be toughened by using rubber particles to initiate crazes when a sample is stressed, a good example being high impact polystyrene or HIPS. The least brittle structural ceramics are silicon carbide (mainly by virtue of its high strength) and transformation-toughened zirconia.

A different philosophy is used in composite materials, where brittle glass fibres, for example, are embedded in a ductile matrix such as polyester resin. When strained, cracks are formed at the glass-matrix interface, but so many are formed that much energy is absorbed and the material is thereby toughened. The same principle is used in creating metal matrix composites.

Effect of pressure[link]

Generally, the brittle strength of a material can be increased by pressure. This happens as an example in the brittle-ductile transition zone at an approximate depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) in the Earth's crust, at which rock becomes less likely to fracture, and more likely to deform ductilely.

Crack growth[link]

Supersonic fracture is crack motion faster than the speed of sound in a brittle material. This phenomenon was first discovered^{[citation needed]} by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart (Markus J. Buehler and Huajian Gao) and IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California (Farid F. Abraham).

See also[link]

• Izod impact strength test
• Charpy impact test
• Fractography
• Forensic engineering
• Ductility
• Strengthening mechanisms of materials

References[link]

• Lewis, Peter Rhys; Reynolds, K; Gagg, C (2004). Forensic Materials Engineering: Case studies. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8493-1182-6. 
• Rösler, Joachim; Harders, Harald; Bäker, Martin (2007). Mechanical behaviour of engineering materials: metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Springer. ISBN 978-3-642-09252-7. 

Brett Anderson
Brett Anderson performing at Parkenfestivalen 2010, Bodø, Norway
Background information
Birth name	Brett Lewis Anderson
Born	(1967-09-29) 29 September 1967 (age 44)
Origin	Haywards Heath, England
Genres	Alternative rock, indie rock, glam rock, Britpop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, piano, guitar
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Drowned in Sound B A Songs
Associated acts	Suede, The Tears
Website	www.BrettAnderson.co.uk

Brett Lewis Anderson (born 29 September 1967) is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he briefly fronted The Tears, and has released four solo albums. Suede reformed in 2010. In Suede's early days, Anderson's androgynous style and unique, wide ranging vocals were an instant phenomenon in the UK.

Early years: 1967-1988[link]

Born in Haywards Heath, West Sussex into a working class family, Anderson's mother was an artist and his father was a classical music fan.^[1] He was brought up in a small council estate in Lindfield, a village adjoining Haywards Heath, attending Lindfield Junior School then Oathall Comprehensive School.

In his teens, Anderson played guitar for garage bands such as The Pigs and Geoff, the latter featuring future Suede bassist Mat Osman. In the late-1980s, Anderson and Osman formed Suede with Anderson's girlfriend, Justine Frischmann, soon recruiting guitarist Bernard Butler through an advertisement in the NME. After receiving percussional help from former Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, in 1991, Simon Gilbert joined Suede as their official drummer. It was around this time that Frischmann left Anderson for Blur frontman Damon Albarn, which created an early rift in the burgeoning Britpop scene of the early 1990s. After missing too many rehearsals and flaunting her relationship with Albarn while still living with Anderson, Frischmann was fired from the group, going on to front Elastica.

Suede: 1989-2003; 2010 onwards[link]

Even before Suede's first album appeared in stores, Anderson's androgynous style and vague "confessions" about his sexuality stirred controversy in the British music press. His infamous comment that he was "a bisexual man who never had a homosexual experience" was indicative of how he both courted controversy and a sexually ambiguous, alienated audience. In 1993, Suede hit number one on the UK charts. Combining Morrissey's homoerotic posturing with David Bowie's glam theatrics, Anderson achieved instant fame in the UK. America, however, was still spellbound by the grunge revolution and Anderson's grim yodellings clashed with the raw anger of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. Furthering complications across the Atlantic, due to a trademark dispute with the American lounge singer Suede, the band were forced to change their name to The London Suede for the American market. Although the departure of songwriting partner Butler in 1994 during the recording of second album Dog Man Star (number three on the UK charts) led many to fear Suede's eventual demise, the band continued to release critically and ever increasingly commercially successful material in the UK, Europe and Asia, such as 1996's critically acclaimed Coming Up (another number one of the band). The band carried on to release Head Music (number one on the UK charts and in several countries) in 1999, but A New Morning was a commercial disappointment in 2002. In 2003, following the release of their "Singles" collection, Suede disbanded.

Anderson has commented that the history of Suede is "...ridiculous. It’s like Machiavelli rewriting Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It involves a cast of thousands. It should star Charlton Heston... it’s like a pram that’s just been pushed down a hill. It’s always been fiery and tempestuous and really on the edge and it never stops. I don’t think it ever will.”^[2] On his own, Anderson collaborated with Stina Nordenstam, and his guest vocals can be heard on the album This Is Stina Nordenstam and has made a duet with Jane Birkin in 1995 which appeared in 1998 Birkin's Best Of album. He also sang the lyric "You're going to reap just what you sow" in the Children in Need charity single "Perfect Day".

Following persistent rumours, the boss of the band's former label, Nude Records' Saul Galpern, confirmed to the NME that Suede would be playing together again. "It's [for] a one-off gig,"^[3] he explained of the show, which featured the band's second incarnation. The band played London's Royal Albert Hall as part of the 2010 Teenage Cancer Trust shows.^[3]

Because of the huge success of the shows, a new European tour was announced for the summer of 2010, covering 2 festivals, Skanderborg Festival in Denmark and Parkenfestivalen in Norway, the tour continued in the autumn covering France, The Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Belgium. A homecoming date at the The O2 Arena (London) closed the tour. Further festival dates occurred in 2011, along with UK dates where Suede performed their first 3 albums in full.

The Tears: 2004-2005[link]

In 2004, Anderson and former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler briefly formed the band The Tears with Will Foster, Makoto Sakamoto and Nathan Fisher and released their debut album Here Come The Tears, which was met with mixed critical and popular reaction. It was produced by Butler and largely recorded at home, and featured the singles "Refugees" and "Lovers". Following the cancellation of a European tour in support of the album, the band were dropped by Independiente and the project was abandoned.

Anderson was close friends with Simon Hobart (promoter of Popstarz) and was the DJ at the benefit night held in Hobart's honour after his death.

Solo work: 2006-present[link]

In May 2006, Anderson announced details of a solo album consisting of 11 tracks, which was released on 26 March 2007. He told NME that the title would be Brett Anderson since "...that's my name, you see." The accompanying video for Anderson's first single "Love Is Dead" debuted on UK television in February 2007, quickly finding its way to YouTube. "Love Is Dead" made its debut at #42 in the UK singles chart, and the album went to #54 the following week. The keyboardist-producer on his album is Fred Ball, and former Suede bass player Mat Osman joined the live band on tour.

In July 2007 Anderson modeled Nick Hart for Aquascutum's autumn/winter 2007 campaign^[4]

In May 2008 it was announced that Anderson's second album was to be premiered on 7 July in a special concert at London's mermaid theatre. A copy of the album, entitled Wilderness, was distributed to all ticket buyers, in the form of a USB stick. The album was recorded in only seven days, with most tracks recorded as live takes. He plays the piano and the acoustic guitars, and is accompanied by Amy Langley on cello. One of the songs "Back to You" written with Fred Ball of the Norwegian band Pleasure is a duet with French actress Emmanuelle Seigner.

Anderson's third album, Slow Attack was co-written with Leo Abrahams. On his website, Brett Anderson writes that he tried to use words in a different way, as fragments, and hint of meanings and emotions. The music is more orchestral than Wilderness with more instrumentation throughout the album. On tour, he was joined by Didz Hammond (Dirty Pretty Things), Angie Pollock (Goldfrapp), Sebastian Sternberg (Pleasure, Marina and the Diamonds), Kris Sonne and Amy Langley, thus giving the songs a more art-rock edge.

Black Rainbows - Anderson's fourth solo album was released through BA Songs, distributed by EMI Music Service in September 2011. It was preceded by the single "Brittle Heart". It was the second album Anderson had co-written with Leo Abrahams and it saw a return to a simpler more commercial rock format. Anderson stated that he had taken as reference points some of his old favourite records like PIL's "Rise", and Siouxsie and the Banshees' Juju while conceiving the songs.^[5]

Solo discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Live albums[link]

• Live in London (9 May 2007) (Limited Edition of 1500)
• Live at Union Chapel (19 July 2007) (Limited Edition of 1500)
• Live at Queen Elizabeth Hall (20 October 2007) (Limited Edition of 1500)

Singles and EPs[link]

• "Love Is Dead" (19 March 2007) - (UK #42)^[6]
• "Back to You" (EP) (9 July 2007) (Non-chart eligible)
• "A Different Place" (21 July 2008) (Digital download)
• "The Hunted" (22 November 2009) (Digital download)
• "Brittle Heart" (15 August 2011) (Digital download)
• "Crash About to Happen" (27 November 2011) (Digital download)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Brett Anderson Official Website

The One AM Radio is the musical project of Hrishikesh Hirway, a composer and songwriter from Los Angeles. The One AM Radio's sound is often characterized by Hrishikesh's lush, soothing vocals over dream-like instrumental arrangements. He does most of his own recording, playing several of the instruments and producing all the beats; the style borders electronica, folk, post-rock, chamber music, and ambient music.

Born in Massachusetts, Hrishikesh began The One AM Radio while a student at Yale University, where he studied art and film. After moving to Los Angeles, the project expanded to include new bandmates Scott Leahy and Fontaine Cole.

The One AM Radio's second album, A Name Writ In Water, was named by Time Out New York as one of the top 10 albums of 2004. A set of remixed tracks from that album was put out as an ep in January 2005, entitled On the Shore of the Wide World. The EP was the #1 download in iTunes' electronic genre for 3 weeks upon its release, and stayed in the top 10 for another 3 weeks after that.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Heaven Is Attached By A Slender Thread (2011), Dangerbird Records
• This Too Will Pass (2007), Dangerbird Records
• A Name Writ In Water (2004), Level Plane Records
• The Hum of the Electric Air! (2002), CD released by Translucence and Alone Records, LP released by The Electric Human Project

Guest Appearances & Remixes[link]

• Giraffage feat. XXYYXX - "Even Though (The One AM Radio Remix)" (2012)
• Dntel - "Rock My Boat (The One AM Radio Version)" (2011)
• Baths - "Hall (The One AM Radio Remix feat. The Los Feliz Ladies Choir)" (2010)
• James Figurine - "Apologies (The One AM Radio Remix)" (2009)
• alias - "The Weathering", on Resurgam (2008)
• Lymbyc Systym - "Astrology Days (Remix by The One AM Radio)", on Love Your Abuser Remixed (2008)
• Silversun Pickups - "Little Lover's So Polite (The One AM Radio Remix)", on Remix EP (2007)
• Caural - "Cold Hands", on Mirrors For Eyes (2006)
• Daedelus - "Thanatopsis", on Exquisite Corpse (2005)

EPs[link]

• On the Shore of the Wide World (2005), Level Plane
• An Assembly (2003), Translucence
• A Cloud's Fear of Kites : A Kite's Fear of Heights (2000), Garbage Czar

7”s[link]

• Credible Threats (2010)
• I Think This Is My Exit (2002), Troubleman Unlimited

Splits[link]

• Night Falls split CD/12" with The Wind-Up Bird, CD released 2002 on Alone Records; 12" released 2006 on Paramnesia
• split CD with Tracy Shedd (2002), Translucence and Alone Records
• split 7" with Jeromes Dream (2001), Garbage Czar
• split 7"/CD with Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, 7" released 1999 on Garbage Czar Records; CD single released 2003 on Translucence

Compilation Appearances[link]

• "Old Men" on Give Listen Help, Volume 5 (2008), Urban Outfitters/Filter Magazine
• "You Can Still Run" on 80 Records And We're Still Not Broke (Yet) (2005), Level Plane
• "Shortest Day of the Year" on Tea at the Palaz of Hoon (1998), Cosmodemonic Telegraph

Production[link]

• Eulogies by Eulogies, co-producer (Dangerbird, 2007)
• Tempted to Do Nothing EP by Eulogies, co-producer (Dangerbird, 2008)
• Here Anonymous by Eulogies, co-producer (Dangerbird, 2009)

External links[link]

• Official site
• Myspace page
• Allmusic page
• 2008 The One AM Radio Interview at Bandega.com
• Pitchfork Media Review of This Too Will Pass
• Pitchfork Media Review of A Name Writ in Water
• Cokemachineglow.com interview