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Subdivision templates for converting a non-conformal hex-dominant mesh to a conformal hex-dominant mesh without pyramid elements

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Abstract

This paper presents a computational method for converting a non-conformal hex-dominant mesh to a conformal hex-dominant mesh without help of pyramid elements. During the conversion, the proposed method subdivides a non-conformal element by applying a subdivision template and conformal elements by a conventional subdivision scheme. Although many finite element solvers accept mixed elements, some of them require a mesh to be conformal without a pyramid element. None of the published automated methods could create a conformal hex-dominant mesh without help of pyramid elements, and therefore the applicability of the hex-dominant mesh has been significantly limited. The proposed method takes a non-conformal hex-dominant mesh as an input and converts it to a conformal hex-dominant mesh that consists only of hex, tet, and prism elements. No pyramid element will be introduced. The conversion thus considerably increases the applicability of the hex-dominant mesh in many finite element solvers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA

    Soji Yamakawa, Iacopo Gentilini & Kenji Shimada

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  1. Soji Yamakawa
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  2. Iacopo Gentilini
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  3. Kenji Shimada
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Correspondence to Soji Yamakawa.

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Yamakawa, S., Gentilini, I. & Shimada, K. Subdivision templates for converting a non-conformal hex-dominant mesh to a conformal hex-dominant mesh without pyramid elements. Engineering with Computers 27, 51–65 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-010-0178-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-010-0178-6

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