X-FEM Analysis of dynamic crack growth under transient loading in thick shells

•An existing Reissner Mindlin shell element is enriched using X-FEM to model dynamic crack propagation in thick shells.•A diagonal mass matrix is used for the enriched displacement and rotational DOFs.•An explicit representation of the crack lying on the shell?s mid-surface is done using a 1D mesh.•A crack propagation criterion able to account for tensile and shear driven fracture is used.