A review of previous work on finite element analysis of threedimensional flawed structures is presented. New work on a special crack tip element is then reported. The crack tip element was formed from an eight node isopararmetric element by coalescing pairs of nodes around the crack boundary. Meshes generated in this way gave good results for stress intensity factors even for coarse meshes. Results were obtained for a semi-elliptical crack in a tensile specimen and a thick-walled cylinder. An elastic-plastic analysis of the flawed thick-walled cylinder was performed. (auth)