Patent ID: 6560570
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: G06F,G06T

Abstract:
A method of performing in a computer a finite element simulation of a problem space comprising first and second adjacent volumes, wherein a master mesh having an interface surface proximal to said second subspace represents said first subspace, and a dissimilar slave mesh having an interface surface proximal to said first subspace represents said second subspace, said method comprising:a) determining new coordinates for each slave interface node, wherein said new coordinates are located on the interface surface of said master mesh; b) redefining the slave interface surface for each slave interface mesh element to conform to the master interface surface by determining the projection of an adjoining face of said slave element onto the master interface mesh, whereby the first and second subspaces become connected; c) determining an expression for the new volume of each slave interface mesh element based on the new coordinates of slave interface nodes and the redefined slave interface surface; d) calculating a new volume derivative matrix, {circumflex over (B)}jÃŽ, for each slave interface mesh element using the expression determined in step c) for the new volume of the element; e) calculating a new element stiffness matrix for each slave interface mesh element that uses the new volume derivative matrix, {circumflex over (B)}jÃŽ, determined in step d); and f) using the new element stiffness matrix determined in step e) for each slave interface mesh element when performing a finite element analysis of the connected first and second subspaces.