Analysis of arbitrary shaped three-dimensional cracks by using a virtual crack-closure integral method (VCCM) for tetrahedral finite element

This paper describes the development of a software to perform three-dimensional crack propagation analyses. The software is based on the conventional finite element method with second order tetrahedral element and an automatic mesh generation software. Hexahedral finite elements have historically been used in fracture analyses and methodologies to compute the crack parameters have been developed for the hexahedral elements. In present research, the authors have developed a VCCM (virtual crack closure-integral method) for the second order tetrahedral finite element. Use of the tetrahedral element allows us to utilize an automatic mesh generation software. The direction and rate of crack propagation are predicted based on the stress intensity factors and the shape of crack is updated. Hence, a software package containing the modules for mesh generation, for finite element analysis, for stress intensity factor evaluation, for predicting the rate and the direction of crack propagation and for updating crack configuration, can be developed.