Author(s)

D. Peng, R. Jones and S. Pitt

Abstract

This paper presents a new method for calculating the elastic stress intensity factors for 3D structural components under with complex loads and geometry. To this end a hybrid element formulation is developed where the hybrid element has its stiffness matrix corrected to exactly reflect the existence of the true 3D crack geometry within the element. To obtain the stiffness matrix, of the hybrid element, this approach involves the combined use of the redundant force method together with the displacement field results arising from the finite element alternating technique (FEAT). This matrix was subsequently used together with a standard comm

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