An Algorithm for Two-Dimensional Mesh Generation Based on the Pinwheel Tiling

Proceedings, 13th International Meshing Roundtable, Williamsburg, VA, Sandia National Laboratories, SAND #2004-3765C, pp.27-38, September 19-22 2004

MESHING
RESEARCH
CORNER

13th International Meshing Roundtable
Willimasburg, Virginia, USA
September 19-22, 2004

Pritam Ganguly
Department of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Thurston Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, U.S.A.
pg45@cornell.edu.

Stephen A. Vavasis
Department of Computer Science, Upson Hall Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, U.S.A.,
vavasis@cs.cornell.edu

Katerina D. Papoulia
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hollister Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, U.S.A.
kp58@cornell.edu.

Abstract
We propose a new two-dimensional meshing algorithm called PINW able to generate meshes that accurately approximate the distance between any two domain points by paths composed only of cell edges. This technique is based on an extension of pinwheel tilings proposed by Radin and Conway. We prove that the algorithm produces triangles of bounded aspect ratio. This kind of mesh would be useful in cohesive interface finite element modeling when the crack propagation path is an outcome of a simulation process.

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