Dynamic Fracture of Shells Subjected to Impulsive Loads

A finite element method for the simulation of dynamic cracks in thin shells and its applications to quasibrittle fracture problem are presented. Discontinuities in the translational and angular velocity fields are introduced to model cracks by the extended finite element method. The proposed method is implemented for the Belytschko–Lin–Tsay shell element, which has high computational efficiency because of its use of a one-point integration scheme. Comparisons with elastoplastic crack propagation experiments involving quasibrittle fracture show that the method is able to reproduce experimental fracture patterns quite well.