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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Edge and Face Meshing

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Meshing - General

To reduce overall mesh size, confine small cells to areas where

they are needed (e.g., where high gradients are expected).
Controlling cell size distribution

Edges, Faces and Volumes can be directly meshed

Pre-meshing

A uniform mesh is generated unless pre-meshing or sizing functions

are used.
Edge meshes can be graded (varying interval size on edge)
Graded edge mesh can be used to control distribution of cell size in
face mesh.
Controlling distribution of cell size in face mesh also controls
distribution of cell size in volume mesh.

Sizing Functions

New feature to control cell size in faces and volumes directly.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Edge Meshing

Edge mesh distribution is controlled through

the spacing and grading parameters.
Using the Edge meshing form

Picking

Grading/Spacing
Special characteristics

Temporary graphics
Links, Directions

Apply and Defaults

Invert and Reverse

Options

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Picking Edges for Meshing

Picking

Temporarily meshed edges

When you pick an edge, the edge is

temporarily meshed using white nodes
Displayed edge mesh is based on current grading and spacing parameters
If you modify the scheme or spacing, the temporary mesh will be
immediately updated
When you Apply, the mesh nodes will turn blue

Sense

Sense is used to show direction of grading

Every picked edge will show its sense direction using an arrow
The sense can be reversed by a shift-middle click on the last edge picked
(this is in addition to the next functionality) or by clicking on the
Reverse button

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Soft Links

Picking and soft links

Pick with links

By enabling this option, Soft-linked edges can be selected in a single pick

Linked edges share the same information and can be picked in a single
pick

Modifying soft links

You can anytime:

Form links
Break links
Maintain links

By default, GAMBIT will form links between unmeshed edges that are
picked together
By default, GAMBIT will maintain links between meshed edges that are
picked together

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Grading

Controls mesh density distribution along an edge.

Grading can produce single-sided or double-sided mesh

Doubled-sided mesh can be symmetric or asymmetric.

Single-sided grading

Symmetric schemes produce symmetric mesh about edge

center.
Asymmetric schemes can produce asymmetric mesh
about edge center.

Symmetric grading
Asymmetric grading

Single-sided grading:

Uses a multiplicative constant, R, to describe the ratio of

the length of two adjacent mesh elements, i.e.,

R = l(i+1) / li

R can be specified explicitly (Successive Ratio) or

determined indirectly

Gambit also uses edge length and spacing information to

determine R.
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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Double Sided Grading

Symmetric grading schemes implicitly

generate double sided grading that is
symmetric.
Asymmetric schemes are accessible when
Double-Sided Option is used with:

Successive Ratio, First Length, Last Length,

First-Last Ratio, and Last-First Ratio

The mesh is symmetric if R1 and R2 are

equal.

The mesh is asymmetric if R1 and R2 are not

equal.

Edge center is determined automatically.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Spacing

Spacing

In all meshing forms, the following spacing functions can be specified:

Interval count - recommended for edge meshing only

% of edge length - recommended for edge meshing only

A value of 5 creates 5 intervals on the edge (6 nodes, including ends)

An edge length of 10 and a value of 20 creates 5 intervals on the edge

Interval size - the default setting

Identifies the interval size relative to overall dimensions of geometry

Identifies average interval size if used with grading
An edge-length of 10 and a value of 2 creates 5 intervals on the edge
Average size of elements/grid is 2

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

First Edge Settings

Use first edge settings enabled

First edge selected in pick list updates form
Useful to copy settings from one meshed
edge to other edges.

Use first edge settings disabled

Any time you pick two or more meshed edges
where there is a difference in:

the Type
the Spacing

the local Apply button for that option will

be turned off
This allows you to maintain pre-existing grading and/or spacing settings for
each edge.
Enforce a change in grading and/or spacing by enabling Apply button.
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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Mesh Options

Apply without meshing

This option is useful in cases where you

to impose a scheme without fixing
the number of intervals
The higher level meshing scheme will decide
match) the intervals

Specify fixed interval and no grading

Specify double sided grading and
Apply without Meshing on bottom edges
Face meshing will automatically match mesh

Remove Old Mesh

(and

Example

want

Deletes old mesh

Ignore Sizing Function

Sizing function has precedence on meshing

unless this option is enabled.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Face Meshing

Face Meshing form

Upon picking a face

GAMBIT automatically chooses Quad elements

GAMBIT chooses the Type based on the

Solver/face vertex types

Available element/scheme type combinations

Quad

Quad/Tri

Map
Pave
Wedge

Tri

Map
Submap
Tri-Primitive
Pave

Pave

Gambit also has quad-to-tri conversion utility.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Face Meshing - Quad Examples

Quad: Map

Quad: Submap

Quad: Tri-Primitive

Quad: Pave

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Face Meshing - Quad/Tri and Tri Examples

Quad/Tri: Map

Quad/Tri: Pave

Quad/Tri: Wedge

Tri: Pave

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Deleting Old Mesh

Existing mesh must be removed before remeshing.

Mesh can be deleted using

delete mesh form.

Lower topology mesh can also be deleted (default)

Existing mesh can also be removed in all Create

mesh forms without the need for Delete mesh

Remove mesh

Remove mesh + lower mesh

Leaves all lower topology mesh

Removes all lower mesh that is not shared
with another entity

Undo after meshing operation also works!

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Fluent User Services Center

www.fluentusers.com

Hard Linking

Mesh Links (Hard Links)

Mesh linked entities have identical mesh

Applicable to Edge, Face, and Volume entities

Best to use soft links for edge meshing

To link volume meshes, all faces must be mesh hard
linked first.

Setting up Hard Links for Faces

Select faces and reference vertices

Edge sense will appear

Reverse orientation on by default for sense
Periodic option can be used for split edges

Mesh one face before or after hard link is defined

created for periodic boundary conditions

mesh on second face generated automatically

Multiple pairs of hard links can be created.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Fluent User Services Center

www.fluentusers.com

Assessing Mesh Quality

Default measure of quality is based on EquiAngle Skew.

Definition of EquiAngle Skew:
max e e min
max
,

180

e
e

where:

max = largest angle in face or cell

min = smallest angle in face or cell
e = angle for equiangular face or cell

max
min

e.g., 60 for triangle, 90 for square

Range of skewness:
0
best

1
worst
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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Examining the Mesh

Examine Mesh Form

Display Type

Plane/Sphere

Range

View mesh elements that fall in plane or sphere.

View mesh elements within quality range.
Histogram shows quality distribution.

Select 2D/3D and Element Type

Select Quality Type

Display Mode

Change cell display attributes.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Striving for Quality

A poor quality grid will cause inaccurate solutions and/or slow convergence.
Minimize EquiAngle Skew:

Hex and Quad Cells

Tris

Skewness should not exceed 0.9

Minimize local variations in cell size:

Skewness should not exceed 0.85.

Tets

Skewness should not exceed 0.85.

e.g., adjacent cells should not have size ratio greater than 20%.

If Examine Mesh shows such violations:

Delete mesh
Perform necessary decomposition and/or pre-mesh edges and faces.
Remesh
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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Mesh Smoothing

Gambit generally incorporates default smoothing scheme after initial

mesh on face or in volume is created.

Default scheme can be changed in Edit - Defaults

Different scheme can be selected and

applied after meshing.

Face mesh smoothing

Volume mesh smoothing

Length-weighted Laplacian
Centroid Area
Winslow
Length-weighted Laplacian
Equipotential

Boundary mesh by default is fixed.

Option allows frees boundary mesh.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Assigning Boundary and Continuum Types

The Boundary Type Form

Enter entities to be grouped into single zone in entity list

box.

Select boundary type for zone (entity group).

Can also modify and delete zone/boundary.

By default,

Available types depend on Solver

Name zone if desired.

Apply defines zone and boundary type.

First choose entity type as face or edge.

External faces/edges are walls

Internal faces/edges are interior

The Continuum Type Form

Similar operation.
All continuum zones are by default, fluid.

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Introductory GAMBIT Notes

GAMBIT v2.0
Jan 2002

Linear/Quadratic Elements
(FIDAP/POLYFLOW USERS ONLY)

General tools

Higher-order elements

For FEM codes (FIDAP and POLYFLOW), the element order can be
changed at all three meshing levels
Only linear and quadratic elements are directly available
A change to quadratic element type at one level will automatically
change the element type in other levels
The following table presents the most commonly used and
recommended quadratic element types for FEM - solvers
POLYFLOW
FIDAP
edge
3-node
3-node
face
8-node quad
9-node quad
volume
21-node brick
27-node brick

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