A survey of the extended finite element

This article presents an overview and recent progress of the extended finite element method X-FEM in the analysis of crack growth modeling. It summarizes the important milestones achieved by the finite element community in the arena of computational fracture mechanics. The methodology of X-FEM, different from that of the classical finite element method, presents a very particular interest since it does not force the discontinuities to be in conformity with the borders. It makes possible the accurate solution of engineering problems in complex domains, which may be practically impossible to solve using the classical finite element method. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.