Growing multiblock structures: a semi-automated approach to block placement for multiblock hexahedral meshing

Austin Ramme, Kiran Shivanna, Amy Criswell, Nicole Kallemeyn, Vincent Magnotta and Nicole Grosland

Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2012, vol. 15, issue 10, 1043-1052

Abstract: Finite element (FE) analysis is a cornerstone of orthopaedic biomechanics research. Three-dimensional medical imaging provides sufficient resolution for the subject-specific FE models to be generated from these data-sets. FE model development requires discretisation of a three-dimensional domain, which can be the most time-consuming component of a FE study. Hexahedral meshing tools based on the multiblock method currently rely on the manual placement of building blocks for mesh generation. We hypothesise that angular analysis of the geometric centreline for a three-dimensional surface could be used to automatically generate building block structures for the multiblock hexahedral mesh generation. Our algorithm uses a set of user-defined points and parameters to automatically generate a multiblock structure based on a surface's geometric centreline. This significantly reduces the time required for model development. We have applied this algorithm to 47 bones of varying geometries and successfully generated a FE mesh in all cases. This work represents significant advancement in automatically generating multiblock structures for a wide range of geometries.

Date: 2012
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DOI: 10.1080/10255842.2011.570338

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