Solid state reactions are often accompanied by fracture which is caused by volume or structural misfit between solid reagents and products. Such a fracture has a feedback effect on the initial reaction in the case of a heterogeneous process which includes surface stage and diffusion in solid: new reaction surface and small particles of solid reagent produced by fracture lead to local reaction acceleration and to formation of a self-sustaining combined front of reaction and fracture. Based on our recent experimental study of the ion exchange reaction in lime-soda glass we propose a quantitativer model of stationary propagation of such a front. The model allows for the prediction of the stationary velocity of the front as well as for the dimensions of particles produced by fracture with great accuracy. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.