Some Recent Advances in Automatic Mesh Generation

The establishment of automated finite element modeling procedures must begin with the development of automatic mesh generators capable of producing a valid finite element mesh for any geometry without user intervention. This paper discusses two algorithmic approaches to automatic mesh generation. The first is the modified-octree technique which has been under development for four years. The paper presents recent developments in the procedure to improve its ease of integration with geometric modeling systems and to insure the robustness of the approach. The second algorithm is a new approach based on an element by element removal procedure which is being developed to produce specific types of meshes. In addition to discussing the meshing procedures, the paper will discuss how they form the basis for the development of fully automatic finite element modeling procedures.