The leak before break(LBB) concept is generalized on the design of LNG tanks, pressure vessels and nuclear reactor in that any leakage of containment, in whatever amount, will not result in catastropic failure. For this purpose it is necessary to determine the surface crack shape, the opening displacement and the risk of catastropic brittle fracture when it becomes a through crack. In this study the crack propagation behavior of surface flaws and the crack opening displacement of through cracks under combined membrane and bending stresses were investigated with fatigue tests and fracture toughness test of aluminium alloy A5083-O. And fracture mechanics analysis of the crack opening displacement of through cracks were made in order to develop a new model expressing the behaviors of COD under combined membrane and bending stresses.