Adjusting Element Sizes
Altair EmployeeThe work I do involves creating models that simulation traumatic brain injuries in mouse specimens. Naturally, this type of work requires the modeling very small geometries (on the order of at least 200 micrometers).
Because our main interest is the developing stress and strain within the blood vessels found in the brain, very fine meshes are required. I have been utilizing the automesh feature found in the 2D panel to get a surface mesh and then I apply this 2D mesh throughout the rest of the 3-dimensional model. I have noted that the 'ELEMENT SIZE' window can only sustain elements of a particular size, and that if a desired element size that is too small is requested, it will not be allowed to be entered into the ELEMENT SIZE field. I.E. if I want an element size of 0.5e^-2 and enter this value into the field, it will not be accepted and it is replaced with 1.0e^-2.
How am I able to change the settings on how small of elements I can use? I have looked through the tutorials and not found much help. I have found that clicking in the display window and then clicking 'o' will bring up the 'options panel' where I can adjust the 'zoom factor' from 2 to 1 (thereby allowing for slightly smaller element sizes) but even the zoom factor can only by set to a minimal of 1 (making 1.0e^2 my smallest element size option). Is there another way to be able to decrease element sizes so that I can get a finer mesh within an area approximately 200 micrometers wide?
Thank you for any help provided.
Brad
Answers
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Try going into the 'Preference' drop down, then the Meshing Options menu. Adjust the element size value to something more suitable. If it will not allow you to get a small enough element size you will have to adjust the node tolerance in the mesh menu and most likely in the geometry menu as well.
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Scale up your geometry, Mesh the components and then scale down the entire thing by the factor you scaled up. ITs just a trick. Try your luck
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