Volume Tetramesh with embedded tria elements

Altair Forum User
Altair Forum User
Altair Employee
edited October 2020 in Community Q&A

Hello,

 

I am trying to mesh a fairly complex geometry. I am doing simulations of a fractured reservoir.  My geometry is a box which represents the rock mass and a number of variably oriented planes contained within the box which represent fractures.

 

I have successfully meshed the planes using 2D Auto Mesh.  I would now like to mesh the volume with tetramesh however it is very important that the tetra elements and the tria elements have shared nodes.

 

I have attached a screen shot of the geometry to give an idea of what it looks like. You can see the meshed fractures and the containing box.

 

I tried using tetramesh but I got an error message stating that the mesh is not enclosed. I am not sure if I selected the correct options. Can someone please advise on the best way to get this done.

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>eg2.png<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>eg3.png

 

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Answers

  • Q.Nguyen-Dai
    Q.Nguyen-Dai Altair Community Member
    edited June 2016

    Make TRIA mesh for your box firstly and then try TET mesh.

    Have a look at my test: my TRIA 2D mesh is yellow. My 2D mesh of the box is green (closed volume). The final 3D shares the same nodes as TRIA 2D mesh.

     

     

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>volume_2.png

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>volume_1.png

  • Altair Forum User
    Altair Forum User
    Altair Employee
    edited June 2016

    Ok I tried this approach. 

     

    I used volume tetra to mesh it and it seems to have worked

     

    However, I need to change the material number of the TRIA element which belong to the fracture so that I can differentiate them from the TRIA elements of the enclosing surfaces. Currently, all the elements have the material number 0 in the output file. As can be seen in the attached screen shot. (highlighted green)

     

    Does anyone know how to assign this? 

     

    Cheers,

    Ariel

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>data.png

  • Q.Nguyen-Dai
    Q.Nguyen-Dai Altair Community Member
    edited June 2016

    That's simple. Create 2 shell properties: one for embbed 2D & another for enclosing 2D mesh.

    Create two different components for each 2D mesh. Apply the property for each component. 

  • Altair Forum User
    Altair Forum User
    Altair Employee
    edited June 2016

    Thanks a lot for your feedback.

     

    I think I figured it out.. I am very new to the HM environment and not used to a lot of the functionality as I am from a geoscience background and not familiar with FE meshing software and terminology etc

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