CURVED-CRACK MODELING BY X-FEM AND ITS APPLICATION FOR SIMULATION OF CRACK GROWTH

Abstract

This paper presents a general modeling in X-FEM (eXtended Finite Element Method) and its synthetic evaluations in two-dimensional linear fracture mechanics. The modeling consists of three parts: (1)curved crack and integration area, (2)area considering singularity around near crack tips and (3)method for coordinate transformation by mapping on the area which has C-nodes and J-nodes. The results have shown a good accuracy of the proposed method in evaluations of stress intensity factors and crack growth simulations with limitation of path independent M-integral to a curved crack.