ABSTRACTThis paper discusses the use of hybrid and isoparametric elements in elastic stress analysis and elastic-plastic fracture mechanics, A new approach is developed that involves the use of a hybrid stress recovery method together with isoparametric elements. This procedure, which we will call the hybrid contour method, is an efficient alternative method for calculating the J integral. One advantage of this approach is that it accesses only the displacement field and, like J, appears to be path independent.