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Checking mesh refinement in a model
Checking
the mesh refinement in a model is an essential part of any FE
analysis. By nature, all
FE analysis is an approximation, a "model" of a real (or
potentially real) object. The
results will only be accurate if the mesh is defined in such a way as to simulate the
change in load effects across the structure effectively.
The appropriate degree of mesh
refinement can only really be discovered by experimentation:
increasing the refinement and observing changes in the results.
When refinement produces a negligible change in key results, the
level of refinement required has been exceeded.
A "negligible" change in results might be where the
inaccuracy derived from the FE analysis may be considered small by
comparison to other assumptions inherent in the design calculations.
There is no hard rule because the load effects vary across
"real" structures according to the structural form and
loading conditions.
It is normal to find that a higher level of
refinement is needed in certain parts of the structure compared to other areas.
Changing between linear and quadratic
order elements can help identify
the behaviour of the structure and the refinement considerations.
More about why mesh refinement
is so important
How to control mesh refinement
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