Solid Model Mesh Challenges
File: PVE, Last Updated: May 2010, By:LB
A large propane storage sphere
Meshed with the standard mesher – 802,000 elements – 12″ large and 4″ small element sizes
The standard mesher has run, but when the analysis is performed, some of the bodies are not joined.
Stress results – a surface has not joined (Displacements magnified 100x)
A close up of the area that did not bond (Displacement magnified 20x) The 4″ elements at the leg and the 12″ general shell elements can be seen.
The curvature based mesher produces a less uniform looking mesh, and in this case the produced mesh has more elements.
Curvature based mesher settings used. A mesh refinement of 4″ size is set for the legs.
A detail of the mesh created with the curvature based mesher, 925,000 elements are produced.
Correct results from the curvature based mesh run
Close up of the results
In theory it should be possible to alter any model to make it meshable by the standard mesher. Here the panel that will not mesh into the leg is split in half.
Alternate solution – a panel where the mesh does not work has been split in half.
The model has successfully meshed and run. The split panel is shown.
Note: this model run is used to determine the frequency of vibration of a sphere with a 1g sideways load. The stresses and deflections do not represent real world seismic conditions.