Direct determination of SIF and higher order terms of mixed mode cracks by a hybrid crack element

Recently, the authors (Karihaloo and Xiao, 2001a-c) extended the hybrid crack element (HCE) originally introduced by Tong et al. (1973) for evaluating the stress intensity factor (SIF) to calculate directly not only the SIF but also the coefficients of the higher order terms of the crack tip asymptotic field. Extensive studies have proved the versatility and accuracy of the element for pure mode I problems. This study is to show the versatility of the element for mode II and mixed mode cracks. Accuracy of the SIF and coefficients of higher order terms is validated by comparing with the available results in the literature, or results obtained by the boundary collocation method, which is powerful for relatively simple geometries and loading conditions.