Season cracking is characterised by deep brittle cracks which penetrate into affected components.

Peter heard the collar bone break with a sharp brittle crack, high above even the roar of the helicopter's engines.

The sound of the gun made a sharp slap, without body, a brittle crack in the sunlight.

Repeated loading often initiates brittle cracks, which grow until failure occurs.

Chemical attack can degrade the material, start brittle cracks or cause it to swell.

The quality of the iron used in the bridge is not high, and nearly 80 brittle cracks are visible in the present structure.

With a brittle crack, the lock splintered and the silver chain snapped apart!

He jumped forward, fist lashing out, striking her face with a brittle crack!

A brittle crack sounded as his fist punched through the sheetrock.

So it is possible that fatigue had caused the failure by steady growth of a brittle crack from the initial defect.