Generation of Multi-Million Element Meshes for Solid Model-Based Geometries: The Dicer Algorithm

AMD-Vol. 220 Trends in Unstructured Mesh Generation, ASME, pp.131-135, July 1997

MESHING
RESEARCH
CORNER

Darryl J Melander and Steven E. Benzley:Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602
Timothy J. Tautges:Sandia National Laboratories, PO Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM, 87112

presented at
The 1997 Joint ASME/ASCE/SES Summer Meeting
June 29-July 2, 1997
Northwestern University
Evanston Illinois

Abstract
The Dicer algorithm generates a fine mesh by refining each element in a coarse all- hexahedral mesh generated by any existing all-hexahedral mesh generation algorithm. The fine mesh is geometry-conforming. Using existing all-hexahedral meshing algorithms to define the initial coarse mesh simplifies the overall meshing process and allows dicing to take advantage of improvements in other meshing algorithms immediately.

The Dicer algorithm will be used to generate large meshes in support of the ASCI program. We also plan to use dicing as the basis for parallel mesh generation. Dicing strikes a careful balance between the interactive mesh generation and multimillion element mesh generation processes for complex 3D geometries, providing an efficient means for producing meshes of varying refinement once the coarse mesh is obtained.