Robustness of XFEM Method for the Simulation of Cracks Propagation in Fracture Mechanics Problems

In the present paper a numerical sensitivity analysis is presented with the aim to assess the effectiveness of the X-FEM method for fracture mechanics applications. Different test cases have been adopted for the numerical analyses to point out the X-FEM method behavior in 2-D and 3-D elastic and elasto-plastic conditions. Comparisons with a standard ductile damage model have been carried out to highlight the advantages of the XFEM method in terms of mesh size and shape independency when simulating cracks propagation.