Release 2025 R2 includes the following Fracture analysis enhancements:
SMART Crack Growth. You can now use the SMART Crack Growth feature to solve mixed mode fracture problems by including the Mode III Stress Intensity Factor- SIFS (K3) in Equivalent SIF calculations using the new Equivalent SIF Method and Kink Angle Method properties. This capability requires that the SIFS property (Analysis Settings > Fracture Controls) is set to Yes. This is the default setting.
Fracture Object. When performing a Fracture analysis, you can now convert the local hex-dominant mesh to a quadratic tetrahedral mesh within the crack buffer zone using the following new options of the Fracture object property, Re-mesh Hex-dominant to Tetrahedral. These options retain the hex-dominant mesh outside of the crack buffer zone.
Buffer Zone - MPC Contact: Use this option to create a bonded MPC contact pair at the mesh interface between the hex-dominant elements and the tetrahedrons.
Buffer Zone - Pyramid Elements: Use this option to create pyramid elements at the mesh interface between the hex-dominant elements and the tetrahedrons.
Note that these options only support the fracture parameters calculation - not SMART Crack Growth.