摘要：In recent years, and in the context of the so called discrete cohesive models,
finite elements with embedded strong discontinuities, material failure,
modelling, concrete fracture. Abstract. In recent years, and in the context of
the so called discrete cohesive models, finite elements with embedded strong
discontinuities have gained popularity for the numerical simulation in fracture
mechanics. The adopted kinematical representation of the discontinuous
displacement field makes possible to consider a general clasification of these
models in two groups or finite element families, i.e: elements with
discontinuous modes of elemental (statically condensable) suport (E-FEM) and
elements with nodal (not condensable) enrichment (X-FEM). In this work, a
rigurous and comparative study between both numerical approaches is presented.
In order to obtain consistent results, a common numerical scenario was adopted.
Particularly, we have chosen the same constitutive law (continuum damage) and
element topology (triangles and tetrahedras). In addition, special attention has
been paid to computational efficiency topics. Fundamental aspects in the context
of failure mechanics analysis, such as robustness, convergence rate, presition
and computational cost, are adderesses. For this goal, tipical examples in
concrete fracture are showed, including in this modelling the resolution of
single and multi cracking problems for 2D and 3D cases.
