Adaptive finite element procedure for crack analysis

The main goal of the paper is to consider adaptive finite element procedures for crack problem analysis of concrete structures. In order to solve such a problem which possesses singular points in the domain h-type adaptive finite element method should be applied. An effective and reliable error estimator is a key factor to steer the procedure in an optimal way. One of such estimators proposed by Zienkiewicz and Zhu has recently attracted a considerable attention. The objective is to consider qualitative properties of the estimator and to show adaptive solutions for crack problems aiming to resolve singularities with a prescribed accuracy. We present a novative viewpoint to the problems related to the calculation of stress intensity factors at the crack tip.