3. Modeling A

3.1. Characteristics of modeling

Method MAILLAGE is used by PROPA_FISS to calculate the new position of the bottom of the crack. Stress intensity factors are calculated using operator CALC_G.

3.2. Characteristics of the mesh

The structure is modelled by a mesh composed of 4464 elements TRIA3 (see).

Figure 3.2-a : structure mesh

The mesh is more refined in the propagation zone. In this area the dimension of the smallest edge of the elements is equal to \(1.5\mathrm{mm}\).

3.3. Tested sizes and results

The position of the bottom of the crack, after four propagations calculated by the mesh method, is taken as a reference value:

Propagation	Coordinate \(x\)	Coordinate \(y\)
4	42.13970	20.60376

Table 3.3-1

3.4. notes

The position of the bottom of the crack cannot be retrieved from the command file for simplex, upwind, and geometric methods (D, C, and E models). For these methods, it will be verified that the position of the background is in the same element as that associated with this modeling (more details are given in the description of each modeling).