Checking the quality of the volume mesh
You can assess the quality of the volume mesh created in the 3D Meshing workflow by viewing various properties of the tetrahedrons. If these do not meet the requirements for simulation, it may be necessary to alter the input surfaces (3D structural model) used in the Surface Meshing workflow to create the 3D mesh structural model.
The following properties are useful to assess the quality of your 3D mesh. If they are not yet listed under the Properties item of your 3D Mesh, you can add them via the context menu (right-mouse click on the 3D mesh, select Properties > Default Geometry Properties and choose the property of interest from the list).
Element volume The volume of the tetrahedron.
Element minimum face angle The face angles are the angles at the corners of each of the four triangles of the tetrahedron (12 in total). This is the smallest angle for the tetrahedron.
Element maximum face angle The face angles are the angles at the corners of each of the four triangles of the tetrahedron (12 in total). This is the largest angle for the tetrahedron.
Element minimum edge length The shortest length of an edge of the tetrahedron.
Element aspect ratio The longest edge length of the tetrahedron divided by the shortest.
Element surface area The total surface area of the tetrahedron. The sum of the face areas.
Element minimal dihedral angle The dihedral angles of a tetrahedron are the angles between faces (triangles) that meet at an edge. This measurement is the smallest such angle for the tetrahedron.
Element maximum dihedral angle The dihedral angles of a tetrahedron are the angles between faces (triangles) that meet at an edge. This measurement is the largest such angle for the tetrahedron.
Element minimum solid angle The solid angle is the two-dimensional angle in three-dimensional space that an object subtends at a point. It is a measure of how large the object appears to an observer looking from that point. For any tetrahedron the element will have four solid angles, one for each node. In the International System of Units (SI), a solid angle is expressed in a dimensionless unit called a steradian (symbol: sr). This measurement is the minimum solid angle for the tetrahedron.
Element maximum solid angle The solid angle is the two-dimensional angle in three-dimensional space that an object subtends at a point. It is a measure of how large the object appears to an observer looking from that point. For any tetrahedron the element will have four solid angles, one for each node. In the International System of Units (SI), a solid angle is expressed in a dimensionless unit called a steradian (symbol: sr). This measurement is the maximum solid angle for the tetrahedron.
Element edge length ratio This is the length of the shortest edge divide by the length of the longest edge. For an ideal tetrahedron this will be 1.
Element radius ratio The measurement is defined as (3 x inradius )/circumradius. The inradius is the radius of the smallest sphere that will fit in the tetrahedron. The circumradius is the radius of the sphere that passes through all four nodes.
Element volume RMS edge length ratio The ratio of the volume to the root mean square value of the edge lengths.
Element shape factor The element shape factor is the ratio of the element volume to the volume of an equilateral tetrahedron having the same circumradius as the tetrahedron. The circumradius is the radius of the sphere that passes through all four nodes.
Abaqus selection criteria based on element shape
Abaqus has specific restrictions on mesh quality to let your mesh pass the element quality checks. The table below gives an overview of the element shape selection criteria in Abaqus and the corresponding mesh property in JewelSuite where the names are not identical for both applications.
| Abaqus selection criterion | JewelSuite 3D mesh geometry property |
|---|---|
| Shape factor | Element shape factor |
| Smaller face corner angle | Element minimum face angle |
| Larger face corner | Element maximum face angle |
| Aspect ratio | Element aspect ratio |
Viewing the 3D mesh geometry properties
You can view the geometrical properties of the 3D Mesh in your 3D View eby turning on their display in the JewelExplorer. First, select one of the objects of your 3D mesh in the JewelExplorer (e.g. the full volume, a fault or a compartment) and display it your 3D View.
In the JewelExplorer, click the '+' icon under the Properties folder under the 3D Mesh to expand it and show its properties. If the geometry properties are not yet shown, right-click on the 3D mesh and select Properties > Default geometric properties and select the geometry property you want to view. This property will be added to the properties of the 3D mesh shown in the JewelExplorer. Check the checkbox next to this property to display it in your 3D view.