eXtended Isogeometric Analysis - a numerical investigation of simulation of two-dimensional elastic fracture.

Resumo

When compared with the Finite Element Method (FEM), the Isogeometric Analysis IGA presents as
advantages the exact representation of the problem geometry, the possibility of using the same basis functions to
describe the geometry as well as the solution field and a straightforward and automatic scheme to refine the mesh.
The eXtended Isogometric Analysis (XIGA) enlarges the approximate space of IGA incorporating customized
functions, by the enrichment strategy of Generalized/eXtended Finite Element Method (G/XFEM). The present
work evaluates the performance of the eXtended Isogeometric Analysis (XIGA) in the context of the Linear Elastic
Fracture Mechanics. Several parameters related with the enrichment strategy, such as the region to be enriched,
the number of nodes enriched, the type of enrichment functions are combined with the special features of IGA and
the behavior of the solution is investigated. This work is a first step of the expansion of the INSANE (INteractive
Structural ANalysis Environment) platform, originally developed with FEM functionalities and later expanded to
G/XFEM simulations. It is an open source software developed at the Structural Engineering Department of the
Federal University of Minas Gerais.