Hybrid singular elements in fracture mechanics

Abstract

A method using the concept of singular hybrid finite element for the determination of the stress intensity factor and the T stress of cracked panels submitted to plane stress and plane strain states is presented. A complete formulation of a hybrid equilibrium singular superelement is presented. This superelement includes linear, bilinear, and quadratic shape functions, allowing its use with linear, bilinear, and quadratic displacementbased conventional finite elements. The method is applied to various typical configurations of cracked rectangular plates, including stiffened panels. The results obtained are discussed and compared with previous available data.