Transition elements matching the near crack-tip strain field

New transition elements used with the collapsed triangular singular elements are constructed by using the improved isoparametric transformations. Without 1/r singular terms, the new transition elements' strain fields contain only 1/sq rt r singularities and match the Williams solution quite well near the crack tip. It is convenient for the new transition elements to be constructed and introduced in the general purpose finite element programs by adding some modifications. Numerical results show that the transition elements possess good properties and are worth being applied to linear fracture computations.