Fully automated mixed mode crack propagation analyses based on tetrahedral finite element and VCCM (virtual crack closure-integral method)

The authors have been developing a crack propagation analysis system that can deal with arbitrary shaped cracks in three-dimensional solids. The system is consisting of mesh generation software, a large-scale finite element analysis program and a fracture mechanics module. To evaluate the stress intensity factors, virtual crack closure-integral method (VCCM) for the quadratic tetrahedral finite element is adopted and is included in the fracture mechanics module. The rate and direction of crack propagation are predicted by using appropriate formulae based on the stress intensity factors. In this paper, the crack propagation system is briefly described and some numerical results are presented.