Automatic adaptive mesh generation using metric advancing front approach

A new mesh generation procedure is suggested for the generation of 2D adapt ive finite element meshes with strong element gradation and stretching effe cts. Metric tensors are employed to define and control the element characte ristics during the mesh generation process By using the metric tensor speci fication and a new, robust and refined advancing front triangulation Kernel , triangles with nearly unit edge length with respect to the normalized spa ce are generated. Highly graded and stretched elements can be generated wit hout much difficulty and the operation complexity of the mesh generation pr ocess is exactly the same as the usual 2D advancing front mesh generator A set of mesh quality enhancement procedures has also been suggested for the further improvement of the quality of the finite element meshes. A simple a nd effective mesh conversion scheme is used to convert the output triangula r mesh to a pure quadrilateral mesh while all the essential element charact eristics are preserved Mesh generation examples show that high quality fini te element meshes with element characteristics compatible with the specifie d metric tensors are generated within a reasonable time limit in a common s mall computing environment.