Fig. 6.8 Tetrahedral Uses

6.
1 Generalities 175
Fig. 6.8 Tetrahedral uses

tetrahedral elements
exclusively. The following
figure shows an example of a
mesh that was constructed
using this setting
Fig. 6.9 Wedge uses wedge

elements exclusively. The
following figure shows an
example of a single-element
mesh that was constructed
using this setting
standard methods or protocols used to make the CAD model. Therefore, the methods
used to make and analyze the designed geometry are NOT compatible.
Indeed, finite-element analysis (FEA) is based on a unique mathematical method
which requires a solution to be computed from elementary element shapes—simple
1D, 2D, or 3D geometries. The mesher is, therefore, the tool to make possible an
approximation of the CAD model because the realistic geometries are TOO com-
plicated to be generated from simple shapes and compute a numerical solution for a
designed assembly.
To make the life of the mesher easier and therefore, help computation accuracy
plus save time in analysis, it is crucial to think about geometry and topology to trans-
form the Real Geometry—which is defined as the entities characterized by a direct
definition of their geometry—into a Faceted Geometry—which is defined as the
entities characterized ONLY by an indirect definition with respect to an underlying
grid.
Geometrical types and topology features are based on
• Vertex (a point with coordinates),
• Edge (two or more vertices),
• Face (three or more edges), and
• Volume (four or more faces).
A Bottom-up approach is generated with low-dimensional entities and builds higher
dimensional entities on top of them.
A Top-bottom approach is generated with upper dimensional entities and uses a
Boolean operation to define the other entities.
176 6 Mesher and Meshing
Fig. 6.10 An example of

discontinuity in the design
geometry
6.1.4.1 Connect Geometry
Discontinuity in the geometry is NOT permitted to compute a FEA solution. Build-

ing upper topological entities from the lower ones requires that they are properly
connected. Sometimes, as shown in Fig. 6.10, the level of details within the CAD
model is so small that it is difficult to detect discontinuity in geometry or inconsistent
connections.
To avoid bad mesh continuity or inconsistent connections in the model region,
the analyst must closely track and detect discontinuities with an imported model.
Discontinuities in the model can be due to the import file itself or the method used
to design the assembly. Methods used by the designer to make parts in accordance
with some standards would be unfitted with the unique finite-element method used
to compute the structural solution. As a result, both the analyst and designer should
work together to make corrections if needed or to make a design model to fulfill
some gaps. An FEA software is not a CAD software, and a CAD software is not
a FEA software, even though both share certain functions and features to perform
rough operations in each fields of expertise.
To track such discontinuity in geometry, there is no automatic pre-programmed
way of performing such operations for a large model. The most efficient way of doing
this is to make a visual inspection first then mesh the geometry and make a test load
with a pure elastic material only with small deformations in order to detect any error
or warning messages related to the meshed structure. However, Abaqus has some
powerful tools in the Mesh module and especially with Virtual topology2 features,
which, for instance, can combine faces and edges.
6.1.4.2 Import Geometries
Many file formats exist to convert a CAD model file readable by an FEA software, the
type of file to work with is also mainly a function of the type of the software license
2 Toknow more about all virtual topology features please refer to the Abaqus CAE User’s Guide in
Sect. 75. The Virtual Topology toolset.
6.1 Generalities 177
associated with the user’s FEA software, for instance, with Abaqus it is preferable
to use the STEP file format.
• STEP (STandard for Exchange of Product model data; ISO standard)
• IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification; ANSI standard)
• STL (STereo Lithography; Rapid Prototyping Standard).
6.1.4.3 Clean-Up a CAD Model
A clean model is easier to mesh, which means fewer problems related to the geometry
and fewer numerical difficulties. The main issues to check in order to clean a CAD
model are listed below:
• Eliminate components not exposed to the flow.
• Eliminate duplicated entities.
• Eliminate small details.
• Water-proofing the surfaces.
• Rebuild geometrical connectivity between parts.
An example is given in Fig. 6.11 regarding edge connections.
6.1.4.4 Clean-Up a CAD Model Cracks
As demonstrated in Fig. 6.12, a crack is defined as a geometry consisting of an edge

pair which meets the following criteria.
• Each edge in the pair serves as a boundary edge for a separate face.
• The edges share common endpoint vertices at one or both ends.
• The edges are separated along their lengths by a small gap.
Fig. 6.11 An example of an edge connecting operation

178 6 Mesher and Meshing
Fig. 6.12 An example of cleaning up the cracks
Fig. 6.13 An example of cleaning up the hard edges
6.1.4.5 Clean-Up Hard Edges
Hard edges (dangling edges) are those that are included in the list of edges that
define a face but which do not constitute necessary parts of the closed edge loop
that circumscribes the face. Such edges often result from face-split operations in
which the split tool face only partially intersects the target face as shown in Fig. 6.13.
Therefore, removing these edges is essential to obtain a correct meshed structure.
6.1.4.6 A Strategy for Improving the Mesh
If the model is made with a complex assembly, analyst should select Mesh → Verify
option to verify the quality of the mesh before submitting the job for analysis. The
mesh verify tool can do the following:
6.1 Generalities 179
• Highlight elements of a selected shape that do not meet specified criteria such as
aspect ratio.
• Print mesh statistics such as the total number of elements of the chosen shape, the
number of highlighted elements, and the average and worst values of the selection
criterion.
• Highlight elements that do not pass the mesh quality tests that are included with
the input file processor in Abaqus standard and Abaqus explicit.
If the mesh verify tool indicates that the user should try to improve the quality of the
mesh, first try the following before turning to the Edit Mesh toolset:
• Change the seed distribution.
• Add or modify partitions.
• Change the mesh technique.
In addition, the analyst could try modifying the parts in the Part module, or the user
might try using the Virtual Topology toolset and regenerating the mesh. The analyst
should treat the Edit Mesh toolset as the final step in the meshing process and use it
only to make minor adjustments to nodes and elements. Abaqus CAE tries to preserve
attributes, for instance, loads and boundary conditions, if changes are made to the
mesh. If user modifies a part, Abaqus CAE deletes the mesh when it returns to the
Mesh module; as a result, the analyst will lose any edits that users have made to the
mesh.
6.1.5 Mesh as Grid Generation
As shown in Fig. 6.1, a grid generation (a mesh) is mainly based on structured or

unstructured grid, defined as below:
Structured grids: Ordered set of (locally orthogonal) lines
• Several techniques can be used to map a computational domain into a physical

domain: Transfinite Interpolation, Morphing, PDE Based, etc.
• The grid lines are curved to fit the shape of the boundaries.
Unstructured grids: Unorganized collection of polygons (polyhedron)
• Three main techniques are available to generate triangles automatically (tetrahe-

dral): Delaunay triangulation, Advancing front, and so on.
• Paving for automatic generation of quads in 2D.
The unstructured grids with the triangulations technique called Free in Fig. 6.1 refer
to an unstructured in opposition to the structured technique shown in the same Figure.

Fig. 6.8 Tetrahedral Uses

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6.

Fig. 6.8 Tetrahedral uses

Fig. 6.9 Wedge uses wedge

Fig. 6.10 An example of

6.1.4.1 Connect Geometry

Discontinuity in the geometry is NOT permitted to compute a FEA solution. Build-

6.1.4.2 Import Geometries

6.1.4.3 Clean-Up a CAD Model

6.1.4.4 Clean-Up a CAD Model Cracks

As demonstrated in Fig. 6.12, a crack is defined as a geometry consisting of an edge

Fig. 6.11 An example of an edge connecting operation

Fig. 6.12 An example of cleaning up the cracks

Fig. 6.13 An example of cleaning up the hard edges

6.1.4.5 Clean-Up Hard Edges

6.1.4.6 A Strategy for Improving the Mesh

6.1.5 Mesh as Grid Generation

As shown in Fig. 6.1, a grid generation (a mesh) is mainly based on structured or

• Several techniques can be used to map a computational domain into a physical

Unstructured grids: Unorganized collection of polygons (polyhedron)

• Three main techniques are available to generate triangles automatically (tetrahe-

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