Nodal mesh refinements affect the generation of the FE mesh. Use the nodal mesh refinement to achieve an adjusted discretization in the refinement area around the node, as it may be necessary in corner areas or when connecting members to surfaces.
Mesh Refinement Type
There are two options for the geometric shape of the refinement area:
- Circular
- Rectangular
The types, including parameters, are represented symbolically in the dialog graphic.
Parameters
For a Circular type, specify the 'Radius' of the refinement and the 'target FE length' in the center and at the edge of the circle. The outer FE length usually corresponds to the global mesh size.
For a Rectangular type, enter the 'Side length' of the cube-shaped refinement area and the 'Inner target FE length' according to the illustration. The FE mesh size is gradually doubled starting from the inner length until the global mesh size is reached. After that, the global FE mesh size applies again. It is thus possible that the refinement area is smaller than the specified side length. In this case, a circular refinement can provide a solution. Alternatively, you can define the area as a separate surface and assign a surface mesh refinement.
For circular refinements, you can use the 'FE length arrangement' to control the mesh size of the FE mesh expanding from the inside to the outside:
- Radial: The expansion of the refinement area is uniform from the inside to the outside.
- Gradually: The refinement is carried out step by step for areas of the same mesh size.
- Combined: The mesh is generated by a combination of radial and gradual adjustment.
Options
The refinement area around the node extends in all spatial directions (see image Circular Mesh Refinement). If you only want certain areas to be affected by the refinement, select the Apply Only on Surfaces No. check box. You can then enter the numbers of the surfaces or determine them graphically using the
button.