Section 8: Mesh Quality

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Mesh Quality

SimLab generates mesh that can be used for different analysis

types such as stress analysis, NVH analysis to name a few.
Mesh of each of these analysis should meet certain quality
criteria. It is also important to understand the definition of the
quality measures clearly.

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Mesh Quality

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Mesh Quality Compute, Display

Compute
Computes the minimum and the maximum values of the
quality measures for the elements present in the body.
Supports computation of multiple quality types.

Display
Shows the elements that have failed the qualities
measures of the quality type selected.

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Mesh Quality Clean Up, Bar Chart

Clean Up
Automatic clean up of a particular quality type can be done
based on the quality measure specified.

Bar Chart
Plots a bar chart for the quality measure selected.

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Tri Quality measures

1. Aspect Ratio
2. Edge Length
3. Interior Angle
4. Stretch
5. Skew
6. Element Face Angle
7. Area
8. Mid-Node Offset : Distance
9. Mid-Node Offset : Ratio

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Tri - Aspect Ratio

The Aspect Ratio (AR) of aTRIelementis defined as the largest of

3 / 2(L/h), where L is the length of the edge and h is the height
of the node opposite to this edge. The scale factor 3 / 2 is to
make the AR for an equilateral triangle equal to 1.

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Tri Edge Length, Interior Angle

1. Edge Length
1. Minimum and maximum length of the element edge.

Interior Angle
The min and max interior angle is calculated based on
angle formed by the edges at each vertex of the Tri.

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Tri - Strecth

Stretch of a TRI element is 12 (R / L-Max). Where R is the radius

of the inscribed circle and L-Max is the longest edge of the TRI
element. The scale factor 12 is to make Stretch for an equilateral
triangle equal to 1.

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Tri Skew, Element Face Angle, Area

Skew

The skew angle of a TRI3 element is the difference between 90 degrees and
the minimum of three angles 1, 2, 3. These angles are defined, for the TRI
element, as the smallest of the angles created when a line drawn from a
node to the midpoint of the opposing side intersects a line connecting the
midpoints of the adjacent two sides. The skew angle has a range from 0
degrees for a perfect triangle to 90 degrees for a collapsed triangle. Skew =
90 Min (1, 2, 3)

Element Face Angle

1. Element Face Angle is the angle between two TRI elements along the
common edge.
Area
1. Area of the TRI element.
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Tri Mid node distance, Ratio

1. Mid-Node Offset : Distance
1. It is the offset distance of mid node from the mid position of the corresponding element
edge. For example, let N1-N2 be an higher order element edge with mid node M1 and
MP be the mid position of the element edge N1-N2. Here, "d" represents the Mid-Node
Offset distance.

1. Mid-Node Offset : Ratio

1. It is the ratio between offset distance of mid node from the mid position of the
corresponding element edge to element edge length. If EL denote the length of the
element edge N1-N2, then d / El represents the Mid-Node Offset ratio.
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Quad Quality measures

1. Aspect Ratio
2. Edge Length
3. Interior Angle
4. Warpage
5. Skew
6. Area
7. Mid-Node Offset : Distance
8. Mid-Node Offset : Ratio

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Quad Aspect Ratio, Edge Length, Interior Angle

Aspect Ratio
The aspect ratio of a QUAD element is the ratio of longest edge to
shortest edge.
Edge Length
1. Minimum and maximum length of the element edge.
Interior Angle
The min and max interior angle is calculated based on angle formed
by the edges at each node of

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the QUAD element.

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Quad Warpage

The warpage of QUAD element is calculated by splitting the QUAD into

two TRIs and finding the angle between the two planes, which the TRIs
form. The QUAD is then split again, this time using the opposite corners
and forming the second set of TRIs. The angle between the two planes is
the warp angle of the element. The aspect ratio of QUAD element is the
ratio of longest edge to shortest edge.

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Quad Skew, Area

Quad - Skew
The skew angleof a QUAD element is calculated by finding
the minimum angle between two lines joining opposite midsides of the element. Ninety degrees minus the minimum
angle is skew.
Area
1. Area of the QUAD element.

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Quad Mid node distance, Ratio

1. Mid-Node Offset : Distance
1. It is the offset distance of mid node from the mid position of the corresponding
element edge. For example, let N1-N2 be an higher order element edge with mid
node M1 and MP be the mid position of the element edge N1-N2. Here, "d"
represents the Mid-Node Offset distance.

1. Mid-Node Offset : Ratio

1. It is the ratio between offset distance of mid node from the mid position of the
corresponding element edge to element edge length. If EL denote the length of
the element edge N1-N2, then d / El represents the Mid-Node Offset ratio.
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Tet Quality measures

1. Stretch
2. Collapse Ratio
3. Tet Collapse
4. Skew
5. Aspect Ratio
6. Distortion
7. Jacobian
8. Interior Angle
9. Volume
10. Fluid - Aspect Ratio

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Tet Stretch
Stretch of a TET is R/L-Max). Where R is the radius of the inscribed
sphere and L-Max is the longest edge of the TET.

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Tet Collapse Ratio, Tet Collapse

Collapse ratio
Collapse ratio is the ratio between the smallest of h from each node
to the longest edge of the tetrahedron. Where h is the perpendicular
distance from a node to the opposite face. Collapse Ratio =
h(smallest) / L(longest).

Tet Collapse
Tet Collapse of a TET element is minimum of (h)/(1.24. Where
h is the perpendicular distance
of the TET and

from a node to the opposite face

A is the area of the opposite face.

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Tet Skew, Aspect Ratio

Skew
Skew ness is the ratio between the volume of the TET elementto the
volume of the

perfectTET element. Volume of perfect TET Element isthe

volume of an

equilateralTET elementwith the same circumradius as the

element.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect Ratio for a TET isthe maximum of (h)/(1.24Where h is the
perpendicular distance from a node to the opposite face of the TET and A is
the area of the opposite face.

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Tet Distortion, Jacobian

Distortion
Distortion is the ratio between the smallest determinant of the
Jacobian matrix

at corner and mid points of Tet10 to the volume of

the Tet
Jacobian
Jacobian is the ratio between the smallest determinant of the
Jacobian matrix

to largest determinant of Jacobian matrix at gauss

points.

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Tet Interior Angle, Tet Collapse

Interior Angle
Interior Angle is the angle between the edges of a triangular face of TET.
Minimum and

maximum

value of interior angle for each TET element is

calculated by considering all the four triangular faces

of the TET element.

Volume
Volume of the TET element.
Fluid - Aspect Ratio
Fluid - Aspect Ratio is the ratio of the volume of the circumscribed sphere of the
tetrahedron to volume of tetrahedron, normalised to the equilateral tetrahedron.

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Hex Quality measures

1. Aspect Ratio
2. Warpage
3. Skew
4. Interior Angle
5. Volume

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Hex - Aspect Ratio, Warping, Skew, Interior Angle, Volume

Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio of a HEX element is defined as the ratio of the longest edge to its
shortest edge
Warping
The face warpage of a HEX element is defined as the maximum warpage
among its six

faces. Each face is treated as a QUAD element.

Skew
The face skew angle of a HEX element is defined as the maximum skew angle
among

its six faces. Each face is treated as a QUAD element.

Interior Angle
Interior Angle is the angle between the edges of a rectangular face of HEX.
Minimum
calculated by

and maximum

value of the interior angel of each HEX element is

considering all the six faces of the HEX element.

Volume
Volume of the HEX element.
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Wedge Quality measures

1. Aspect Ratio
2. Warpage
3. Skew
4. Volume

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Wedge Warp Angle Aspect Ratio, Skew, Volume

Warp Angle
The face warpage of a WEDGE element is defined as the maximum
warpage

among the

three quadrilateral faces, each treated as a QUAD

element.
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio of a HEX element is defined as the ratio of the longest edge
to its

shortest edge

Skew
The skew angle of a WEDGE element is defined as the maximum skew
angle

among its

three quadrilateral faces and two triangular faces. Each

quadrilateral face is treated as a

QUAD element and each triangular face as

a TRI element.
Volume
Volume of the WEDGE element.
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