Modeling arbitrary crack propagation in coupled shell/solid structures with X‐FEM

Summary In this paper, the extended finite element method (X‐FEM) formulation for the modeling of arbitrary crack propagation in coupled shell/solid structures is developed based on the large deformation continuum‐based (CB) shell theory. The main features of the new method are as follows: (1) different kinematic equations are derived for different fibers in CB shell elements, including the fibers enriched by shifted jump function or crack tip...