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This paper deals with the Finite-Element based three-dimensional cracksimulation program ADAPCRACK3D, which has been developed at Institute of AppliedMechanics at University of Paderborn, and its special abilities concerning theprediction of crack paths. Therefore in a first section “fracture mechanical require-ments” especially concerning crack deflection angles and crack growth increment forthe crack path determination in ADAPCRACK3D are presented. In a second section thenumerical aspects of realizing crack paths within a simulation are discussed. It isshown in which way a fully automatic manipulation of an FE-mesh can be carried outin order to adjust the FE-mesh step by step to the growing crack. A simulation exampleof the crack propagation in a shutter ring of a hydraulic press proves the significance ofthe presented algorithms as well as of the whole program system.