Mesh-Based Geometry: A Systematic Approach To Constructing Geometry From A Finite Element Mesh

Proceedings, 10th International Meshing Roundtable, Sandia National Laboratories, pp.83-96, October 7-10 2001

MESHING
RESEARCH
CORNER

10th International Meshing Roundtable
Newport Beach, California, U.S.A.
October 7-10, 2001

Steven J. Owen
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM., U.S.A.
Email: sjowen@sandia.gov

David R. White
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA., U.S.A.
Email: drwhite@sandia.gov

Abstract
A new system for defining geometry based on features of a finite element mesh is described. A systematic approach to building a complete geometric and topologic representation of a model given only the finite element description is proposed. Geometry and topology entities including volumes, surfaces, curves and vertices, can be implied based on user defined boundary conditions or surface features. Curve and surface geometry is described by either linear triangular facets or G1 continuous 4th order Bezier patches. The proposed Mesh-Based Geometry (MBG) system serves as an alternative to the CAD-based system currently in use in Sandia National Laboratory's, CUBIT mesh generation toolkit. CGM enables the mesh-based geometry to work seamlessly with existing geometry and meshing tools already developed within the CUBIT environment.

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