Simulating three-dimensional stress intensity factors by the least-squares method

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the accuracy of the least-squares method incorporating the Þnite element method for Þnding three-dimensional (3-D) Stress Intensity Factors (SIFs). Numerical simulations in this paper indicate that the least-squares method can be used to calculate 3-D SIFs accurately, if three or more than three displacement or stress terms are included. The calculated SIFs of this method are independent of the maximum radius of the area from which data is included; furthermore, a very Þne mesh is not necessary