Methods for connecting dissimilar three-dimensional finite element meshes

International Journal For Numerical Methods In Engineering, John Wiley, Vol 47, pp.1057-1080, 2000

MESHING
RESEARCH
CORNER

Correspondence to: C. R. Dohrmann, Sandia National Laboratories, P.O. Box 5800, Mail Stop 0847, Albuquerque, NM 87185-0847, U.S.A.
E-mail: crdohrm@sandia.gov

Abstract
Two methods are presented for connecting dissimilar three-dimensional finite element meshes. The first method combines the concept of master and slave surfaces with the uniform strain approach for finite elements. By modifying the boundaries of elements on a slave surface, corrections are made to element formulations such that first-order patch tests are passed. The second method is based entirely on constraint equations, but only passes a weaker form of the patch test for non-planar surfaces. Both methods can be used to connect meshes with different element types. In addition, master and slave surfaces can be designated independently of relative mesh resolutions. Example problems in three-dimensional linear elasticity are presented.