Patent ID: 7260508

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for constructing a representation of a first system for use with a computer graphical user interface, said first system represented by a first finite element mesh, a second system being within said first system, said second system represented by a second finite element mesh, the method comprising: constructing said first finite element mesh having a plurality of n-dimensional simplices corresponding to said first system; defining a surface bounding said second system; identifying a subset of the plurality of n-dimensional simplices of said first finite element mesh that are intersected by said surface; modifying the identified subset of the plurality of n-dimensional simplices to adapt said first finite element mesh such that it comprises said second finite element mesh and a third finite element mesh, wherein said second finite element mesh comprises a first set of simplices located entirely interior to said surface and wherein said third finite element mesh comprises a second set of simplices located entirely exterior to said surface; and displaying said first finite element mesh in said computer graphical user interface.