Abstract
A square tensile sheet with symmetric edge cracks is analysed by the finite element method to demonstrate the accuracy obtained with polynomial elements when the mesh patterns are chosen on the basis of the element's interpolation functions. Numerical results are provided for the accuracy of the total strain energy, the stress intensity factor, and the numerical condition of the global stiffness matrix. The stress intensity factor is determined to within 1.0 per cent accuracy using quadratic (linear strain) triangular elements with only 138 degrees‐of‐freedom.

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