Review article

The paper considers the results of theoretical and experimental studies of the process of solid body (concrete) destruction by the fracture mechanics methods. The results of experimental studies of the crack propagation nature in heavy concrete samples which were exposed to short-term temperature effects up to 300 °C (573 °K) and 400 °C(673 °K) and cooling or not heated at all (20 °C) are presented. It has been established that the long-term strength of concrete after short-term heating up to 300 °C decreases very little, whereas the temperature effect up to 400 °C leads to a sharp decrease in the long-term strength of concrete.