To provide more convenient tools for the investigation of real objects with different forms and positions of cracks, which requires fracture analysis of engineering structures.
A method which uses the Trefftz‐type finite elements (T‐elements) was applied as an efficient tool to deal with various problems of fracture mechanics.
Numerical examples compare the results of the T‐element procedures with the commercial systems ALGOR® and ANSYS®, showing the advantages of using the former codes. Their effectiveness is especially visible in the solution of a crack propagation problem.
Limitation to linear fracture mechanics.
A proposal of effective codes for engineering analysis of structures with cracks.
This paper presents the feasibility of the application of the T‐element method to a wider field of fracture analysis – crack propagation in engineering structures.
