General

General

When using the CINT command to calculate e.g. the stress intensity factors (SIFs), are surface elements, like contact elements, permitted within the contours (i.e., near the crack tip)?

    • FAQFAQ
      Participant

      No. Surface elements are permitted in the model, but they are not permitted within the contours. Surface elements in that region may cause incorrect results obtained using the CINT command (for calculation of SIFs, J-Integral values, etc.). This is also the reason why if pressure loads on the crack faces are supported, they are to be applied using nodal pressure loadings.