CAD Import, Partitioning & Meshing

J.Cugnoni LMAF / EPFL 2009

CAD Model Structure

Vertices (0D):
Coordinates

& coordinate system

Edges (1D):
several

Vertices => line / curve

Surfaces (2D):
closed

loop of edges (shared vertices), parametric 2D space, normal = orientation

Volumes (3D):
a

closed set of surfaces (shared edges), unified normal orientation

CAD Example

3D CAD volume: all edges are shared between boundary faces => no free edges => surface is closed => its a volume!

CAD import in ABAQUS / CAE

Several formats are supported by Abaqus CAE:

STEP : universal file format, good for volumes & assemblies IGES : universal file format, good for surfaces, ok for volumes SAT : ACIS, native geometry format of CAE, good for nearly everything CATPart: CATIA v5 format, can be imported with a specific module (1 licence) Free edges / invalid entities (tools => query => geom. diagnostic) If free edges: stitch the surfaces (tools => geom. repair => part => stitch) If meshing problems: convert to precise (tools => geom. repair => part => convert to precise) Check the dimensions / units !! If you have problems with geometric operations (like partition), try to Convert to Precise and Convert to Analytical representation

Always check the geometry:

Meshing: basic principle

Mesh generation in 3D is based on the same
hierarchy as the CAD model:
1D:

meshing of the edges, starting from a userpropagation of 1D mesh to 2D surface; propagation of 2D mesh to the 3D volume;

defined element size / distribution

2D:

structured or free (advancing front or medial axis).

3D:

structured, semi-structured (sweep), free

Meshing: basic principle

1D Meshing algorithms

Method:
Use

the curvilinear parameter to distribute nodes along edges => create 1D elements

Definition:
Constant

size: number of elements on edge or element size Variable size: number of elements and bias
Bias = ratio of largest to smallest elem. size Pick the edge close to the end to be refined

1D Meshing algorithms
Biased element size distribution Constant element size

Default (global) element size

Meshing algorithms 2D

Methods:
Propagate 1D mesh on the surface Curved surface: Nearly planar: use projection on the best plane General: mesh in Parameter space Algorithms: Structured / mapped meshing Delaunay triangulation Advancing front meshing Medial axis

Definition:
Just select the meshing algorithm Automatically inherits the mesh size

from the edges

Mapped meshing algorithms 2D

Mapped meshing (works for surfaces having 3 to 5 corners)

Free meshing algorithms 2D

Advancing front meshing Medial axis meshing

Meshing algorithms 3D

Methods:
Propagate 2D mesh in the volume Algorithms: Structured / mapped meshing :

map volume to a simple case (hexa) extrusion / sweep of a free 2D mesh (tri or quad) Generates either hexa or prisms (wedges) Delaunay or Advancing Front tetrahedralization

Semi-structured:

Free meshing:

Definition:
Just select the meshing algorithm Automatically inherits the mesh size

from the surfaces

& edges

Mapped meshing algorithms 3D

Mapped meshing for hexa: any extrusion of mapped quad. mesh Mapped meshing for hexa: simple 3D primitives here 1/8 of a sphere

Sweep meshing algorithms 3D

Sweep meshing for hexa.: free quad mesh + extrusion Sweep meshing for wedges : free tri. mesh + extrusion

Free meshing algorithms 3D

Free tetrahedral meshing: free advancing front 2D meshing + 3D adv. front tetrahedralization the most general meshing algorithm in Abaqus/CAE

Partitioning

Goal

Decompose the geometry into simpler volumes / faces Cut edges, faces or volumes by planes, extrusions, sketch Use structured or sweep meshing on certain region of the part Enhance mesh quality & assign local refinements Create new faces / edges for boundary conditions or output If not used correctly: create a lot of small faces and edges => generate very small elements of bad quality
Example: see demo & tutorial

Method:

Useful to:

Drawback:

CAD & Meshing: continuity problem

Continuous Displacement field => need congruent mesh on the boundaries with shared nodes at the interface Continuous mesh if and only if shared face or edge => When working with imported geometry, need to merge boundary faces & edges!! => always check for Free edges !! Incompatible meshing methods can create hanging nodes or displacement jumps which are not linked across boundary; for example, linear to quadratic or tetra to hexa transitions are not compatible => discontinuous displacement If not possible to have shared boundaries, one need to impose displacement compatibility through kinematic constraints => additional equations (to avoid whenever possible!!)

Incompatible Meshes
Hanging nodes!!
Quadratic Tetrahedral Mesh Linear Hexahedra l mesh

Quad. Triangular faces

Linear Quadrangular faces

Tetrahedral mesh regions can only be linked to prismatic (wedge) regions. Prismatic regions can be linked to both hexa (along structured faces) and tetra.

Mesh quality

Criteria

Geometry : Distortion ,aspect ratio, minimum angle, maximum angle, FE-based: jacobian Low quality = bad mesh convergence Large stress field discontinuities Some elements may lock for high aspect ratio Create numerical round-off errors & singularities May completely crash the solver if jacobian is negative ! It is usually better to have good quality quadratic tetrahedra than highly deformed hexahedra !! Small edges & nearly tangent junction surfaces can be problematic because they require too small or too sharp elements => use virtual topology

Influence:

Advice:

CAD & Meshing: advices

In CAD:
Create CLEAN parts for FEA: Avoid creating small surfaces & edges Avoid tangent connections (very small angles) Try to minimize the number of faces present in the model Prefer a single sweep / loft to complex cut / extrude operations (=> can use structured meshing) Remove unsignificant geometric details: ask yourself what is important (abstraction) for the goal of the modelling !!! Typical details: fillets / chamfers, small holes, unsignificant components (bolts & nuts, rivets)
For complex parts / assemblies, it is usualy very time consuming to try to fix the geometry & meshing problems, you should better completely reconstruct a clean 3D CAD model just for FE analysis

CAD & Meshing: advices

In FEA pre-processor / mesher:

Always If

check imported geometry (free edges?) to create simpler volumes ( symmetries ? )

necessary: repair geometry or try a different format

Partition Choice Use

of meshing method (if possible): Hex structured > Hex swept > Wedges swept > Tetra free compatible meshes at the interface !!!

Check
Define Use

mesh quality: at least no Analysis Error

local refinements where necessary

virtual topology if necessary