Timothy J Tautges

US Patent:

7050951, May 23, 2006

Filed:

Aug 8, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/927691

Inventors:

Timothy J. Tautges - Madison WI, US
David R. White - Pittsburgh PA, US

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

G06F 17/50

US Classification:

703 2, 716 20, 345419, 345423

Abstract:

A method of and software for automatically determining whether a mesh can be generated by sweeping for a representation of a geometric solid comprising: classifying surface mesh schemes for surfaces of the representation locally using surface vertex types; grouping mappable and submappable surfaces of the representation into chains; computing volume edge types for the representation; recursively traversing surfaces of the representation and grouping the surfaces into source, target, and linking surface lists; and checking traversal direction when traversing onto linking surfaces.

US Patent:

57681562, Jun 16, 1998

Filed:

Oct 25, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/548286

Inventors:

Timothy James Tautges - Albuquerque NM
Scott A. Mitchell - Albuquerque NM
Ted D. Blacker - Green Oaks IL
Peter Murdoch - Salt Lake City UT

Assignee:

Sandia Corporation - Albuquerque NM

International Classification:

G06T 1720
G06F 1700

US Classification:

364578

Abstract:

The present invention is a computer-based method and apparatus for constructing all-hexahedral finite element meshes for finite element analysis. The present invention begins with a three-dimensional geometry and an all-quadrilateral surface mesh, then constructs hexahedral element connectivity from the outer boundary inward, and then resolves invalid connectivity. The result of the present invention is a complete representation of hex mesh connectivity only; actual mesh node locations are determined later. The basic method of the present invention comprises the step of forming hexahedral elements by making crossings of entities referred to as "whisker chords. " This step, combined with a seaming operation in space, is shown to be sufficient for meshing simple block problems. Entities that appear when meshing more complex geometries, namely blind chords, merged sheets, and self-intersecting chords, are described. A method for detecting invalid connectivity in space, based on repeated edges, is also described, along with its application to various cases of invalid connectivity introduced and resolved by the method.