  We provide some lower semicontinuity results in the space of special
functions of bounded deformation for energies of the type $$ %\int_\O
{1/2}({\mathbb C} \E u, \E u)dx + \int_{J_{u}} \Theta(u^+, u^-, \nu_{u})d
\H^{N-1} \enspace, \enspace [u]\cdot \nu_u \geq 0 \enspace {\cal
H}^{N-1}-\hbox{a. e. on}J_u, $$ and give some examples and applications to
minimum problems.
  \noindent Keywords: Lower semicontinuity, fracture, special functions of
bounded deformation, joint convexity, $BV$-ellipticity.
