FEM MeshManipulate

Description

The FEM MeshManipulate command allows to manipulate the output of a refinement in various ways.

Task panel of the MeshManipulate tool

Usage

1. To enable the command a Mesh From Shape by Gmsh must be provided first.
2. Select the Mesh object in the Tree View.
3. There are several ways to invoke the command:
   • Press the Manipulate Refinement button.
   • Select the Mesh → GMSH Refinements → Manipulate Refinement option from the menu.
4. Select the manipulation type:
   • Restrict - restricts the application of the child refinement to the selected reference elements
     • Use the Include boundary checkbox to include the boundary of the selected reference elements
   • Threshold - applies a threshold to the child refinements' value:
     • Use the input value vs output size fields to control the thresholds
     • Optionally, use the Linear interpolation checkbox to define if interpolation of the mesh size between SizeMinimum and SizeMaximum should be linear or sigmoid function
     • Optionally, use the Stop at max input checkbox
   • Mean - calculates the mean value of child refinement G
     • Specify Delta
   • Gradient - computes the finite difference gradient of child refinement G
     • Select Kind: X, Y, Z or Mean
     • Specify Delta
   • Curvature - computes the curvature of child refinement G
     • Specify Delta
   • Laplacian - computes finite difference of the Laplacian of child refinement G
     • Specify Delta
5. Optionally, press the button to edit the global refinement preview settings:
   • Auto enable on open - automatically enables the visualization of the refinement mesh size when opening a refinement task dialog.
   • Preview mesh fineness - determines how fine the preview mesh is. Larger number means finer mesh (smaller elements).
6. Optionally, press the Visualize button to visualize the refinement mesh size output. It shows the mesh sizes given by the refinement as colors on a preview mesh. Note that the preview evaluates the refinement on a coarse mesh so details smaller than the mesh size may not be visible.
7. Press the Add button. Select a vertex, edge, face or solid as reference geometries for restriction. To remove objects from the selection, press the Remove button.
8. Click the OK button.
9. Close the task.

   Result: You now should see a new Manipulate object under the FEMMeshGmsh object in your active analysis container.

10. Drag the refinement that should be altered into the Manipulate object in the document tree. The refinement will be grouped under the Manipulate object.
11. Double-click on the FEMMeshGmsh parent object in your Model Tree and press Apply to force a mesh recalculation.
12. Close the task.

After the mesh has been created you can change its properties using the Property View. After you changed a property, you must reopen the Gmsh dialog again and click the Apply button. (You can leave the dialog open while changing properties.)

You can create as many different refinement manipulations as needed.

Distance based refinement restricted to the top surface and its boundary (highlighted)