I am using an XFEM enriched area to perform the simulation of a stati crack in a plate. The analysis uses 3D elements.

When I am using certain crack geometries the analysis does not work giving the following error:

"System error in pre_contourintegral_xfem - crack front goes through facets of element 135822 instance platestiff-1 more than two times. This is not allowed in abaqus

System error in pre_contourintegral_xfem - crack front goes through facets of element 169439 instance platestiff-1 more than two times. This is not allowed in abaqus

Analysis Input File Processor exited with an error."

The crack front is defined as a shell in the middle of the refined mesh rectangle.

Element 135822 is far away from the crack front (top left in the image below), while element 169439 is adjacent to crack front.

What is the cause of this error? Which can be a solution?

I already tried changing the enrichment radius to bigger or smaller values without success.