Evaporation: a Technique for Visualizing Mesh Quality

Proceedings, 8th International Meshing Roundtable, South Lake Tahoe, CA, U.S.A., pp.259-265, October 1999

MESHING
RESEARCH
CORNER

Abstract
The work described here addresses information generated during mesh preprocessing, specifically mesh quality indicators derived on a per-element basis. A technique is introduced for visualizing per-element quality indicators which allows the researcher to see the spatial distribution of the indicator across the entire mesh. The technique uses time as a display axis, creating a succession of images in which the mesh is gradually eroded down to its "worst" elements. The technique is described algorithmically here and is applied to an example. In addition to supplying the user with the locations of the worst mesh elements, the technique appears to provide its user with a good high-level understanding of the relationship between mesh geometry and quality. This may also prove to be a useful technique for observing successive refinements of a mesh.

Download Full Paper (Postscript Format)