Step 1: Understanding Griffith’s theory.
Griffith’s theory of fracture explains crack propagation based on energy balance. It assumes that materials fracture without plastic deformation.
Step 2: Assumptions of the theory.
The theory assumes elastic behavior up to fracture and neglects plastic deformation at the crack tip. These assumptions hold true only for brittle materials.
Step 3: Elimination of other options.
Ductile materials undergo significant plastic deformation before fracture, which violates the assumptions of Griffith’s theory. Hence, it is not applicable to ductile or all materials.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Griffith’s theory is applicable only to perfect brittle materials.