During the past decade a number of approaches have emerged to allow the prediction of failure initiation at stress raiser or singularities such as V-notch tips in the framework of Finite Fracture Mechanics (FFM). These methods have in common an intrinsic finite length and are aimed at generalizing the concept of fracture to more general stress concentrations or singularities than a crack tip. Three of these approaches are known as the coupled criterion, the averaged strain energy approach and the theory of critical distances.
Originally developed and classically employed through computationally efficient semi-analytic 2D approaches under small deformation assumptions and linear elastic framework, several breakthroughs were proposed during the last 5 years:
FFM has recently been extended to 3D, to account for geometrical and material nonlinearities as well as dynamic aspects. It has proved extremely efficient to assess fracture at micro- or even nano-scale, in bio-inspired and 3D-printed materials. It also provided an explanation of the meaning of internal length in phase-field approach for fracture, and also allowed establishing a link with cohesive zone models traction-separation profiles.
All these extensions, applications and confrontations to other fracture models make FFM very attractive and up-to-date approach as highlighted by the ongoing "NEWFRAC" International Training Network (ITN, Marie Curie grant) related to FFM.

The proposed colloquium is dedicated to enhance the investigation of these topics, to strengthen the collaboration between researchers working on FFM and other related fracture models and develop test protocols in the framework of FFM. This colloquium is intended to bring together mathematicians, engineers and material scientists from different disciplines to discuss this interdisciplinary subject. Especially, it is intended to provide the possibility for PhD students and senior researchers to meet and discuss in an informal environment. The colloquium is intended to be a 2-3 days meeting with a single session in an informal setting so as to promote discussions and collaboration opportunities. The program will be divided around the following main topics:

Topic #1 - Fracture mechanics of brittle materials and quasi-brittle materials such as ceramics, glass, composite materials or hard metals. New FFM approaches including non-linearities, plasticity, rate-dependence or dynamic aspects

Topic #2 - Experimental characterization of fracture parameters: dedicated crack initiation experiments, coupling FFM and full field measurements, inverse identification approaches.

Topic #3 - Analytical and numerical methods for the prediction of fracture initiation and propagation, including numerical implementations and algorithm development.

Topic #4 - Comparison and dialectic between numerical methods such as i) The coupled criterion, ii) cohesive zone models, iii) phase field approach for fracture or iv) theory of critical distances.