Webinar Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis

Professional 18/03/2015
Troubleshooting meshing
issues
Artur Kosakowski
Rafał Gawęda

© 2013
Autodesk
 Welcome to Autodesk Help Webinar Series!

Where do we announce?
 www.autodesk.com/help-webinars
 Autodesk RSA Forum
 BIM Toolbox

© 2013
Autodesk
 What are « Webinars » and how they are
intended to work

 What: Focusing on one or several topics in

order to give solutions for problems
frequently submitted to the support team

 How : The webinars will be the

combinations of slide presentations and
live use of the program followed by Q & A
sessions
These webinars are not supposed to be extended training sessions.

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 Topics covered in this “Webinar” and what we
plan for the next one:

 This Webinar : Incoherent meshes or

lack of mesh generation

 What are the possible causes of meshing issues

 How to notice the symptoms
 How to detect and correct problems
 How to avoid them in the future

 Next Webinar : Steel Design - how to

build a model and assign design
© 2013
Autodesk parameters 4
 What are the possible causes of meshing
issues
Lack of accuracy in a definition of a model geometry  

‐ Gaps between panels or overlapping panels 
‐ Bars defined not exactly along edges of panels

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 What are the possible causes of meshing
issues
Snap points :
Each object defined inside or at edges of a panel is treated as characteristic 
(snap) point during mesh generation
Examples: Characteristic points of a panel contur defined very close to each other or bar 
origin close to the perpendicular panel edge

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 How to notice the symptoms

 Before meshing check if :
 Any edges of panels seem to be thicker than others
 Panels interiors are not fully filled with grey color
 Openings are filled with grey color

 During meshing pay attention to:
 Unusually long time necessary to mesh a model
 Information about re‐meshing panels

 After meshing check if there are:
 Unusual concentrations of nodes
 Panels partially meshed or not  meshed at all
 « Incoherent mesh on edges » errors reported 
 « Distorted element » errors reported
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 How to detect and correct problems
 Run model generation and verification

 Check displayed errors and warnings

 Use the verification dialog to identify locations of problems

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 How to detect and correct problems

 Decide which correction tools or techniques should be

used

 Decide on the order of corrections

 Global correction of geometry of entire model

 Correction of panels defined in a particular plane
 Correction of geometry of a single panel
 Local corrections of already generated meshes for
isolated panels

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Autodesk
 Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
 I set the recommended meshing 
parameters but still there is the 
incoherent mesh error reported

In most of cases this is caused by inaccuracy

in the geometry of a model which often
happens from models imported from other
applications (e.g. Revit)

 Use the detailed correction tool and adjust

the model selecting one of the available
options. In most situations it is suggested
to start with adjustment to structural axes

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Autodesk
 Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
 I set the recommended meshing 
parameters but still there is the 
incoherent mesh error reported  

 For issues with meshing walls you may use

detailed correction to the indicated plane

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Autodesk
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
I set the recommended meshing parameters but still 
there is the incoherent mesh error reported

 For a single panel the

correction of its contour can
also be done manually either
by removing excessive
division points created along
its edges or by editing their
coordinates in the properties
of a panel or by dragging
them to new locations with a
mouse
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
I set the recommended meshing parameters but still 
there is the incoherent mesh error reported
 Use different meshing type for panels that are not meshed
correctly. Run regular meshing for the panels which have this
option switched off and unmark it when it is selected
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
I set the recommended meshing parameters but still 
there is the incoherent mesh error reported
 It may be enough to manually move nodes to create coherent
meshes
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
I set the recommended meshing parameters but still 
there is the incoherent mesh error reported  

 Match the number of divisions of arches at the common edges of

panels
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
I set the recommended meshing parameters but still 
there is the incoherent mesh error reported  
 Mind that intersections of panels are not automaticlally
detected
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
Whatever I try I cannot generate mesh for a panel

 You may be able to generate

mesh for a panel that has not
been meshed during the model
generation of the whole
structure after deleting the
meshes from the neighboring
panels. Run the local mesh
generation for the this panel
first and then do the same for
the ones you previously deleted
meshes from.
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues
Whatever I try I cannot generate mesh for a panel
 check if it has the correct calculation model assigned (e.g.
it is not a curtain wall)
Recommended solutions for typical
meshing issues

Remember to freeze the meshes you corrected 
before launching model generation or calculations  
How to avoid meshing issues
Useful tips:
 See our first webinar for recommended meshing options

 Match meshing options with geometry of a model

 For multi‐story buildings test meshing on the first level before creating next 
ones

 Be careful with models imported from DXF/DWG files or with such 
backgrounds as they are often inaccurate 

 Define contours of panels with only necessary (number of) characteristic 
points

 Simplify geometry. Use bar elements instead of narrow walls or surfaces 
ttp://knowledge.autodesk.com

Articles for covered topics:

 http://knowledge.autodesk.com/article/Incoherent-mesh-in-Robot-on-some-
edges-on-straight-line-edge-made-by-arc
 http://knowledge.autodesk.com/article/ROBOT-it-is-impossible-to-mesh-a-panel
 http://knowledge.autodesk.com/article/ROBOT-panels-do-not-look-normal-do-
not-have-standard-meshing-options
 http://knowledge.autodesk.com/article/ROBOT-how-to-resolve-problems-with-
incoherent-meshes-reported-in-in-few-isolated-locations-on-a-model-by-moving-
nodes-of-surface-elements
 http://knowledge.autodesk.com/article/ROBOT-MODEL-GENERATION-how-to-
avoid-automatic-change-of-previously-corrected-meshes

Troubleshooting Articles – this is a new page focused around your most 
common troubleshooting problems:
http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/robot‐structural‐analysis‐
products/troubleshooting#?sort=score
Questions ?

ase feel free to ask questions using « GoToMeeting » Questions tab now

may not be able to answer all questions during the webinar. Please post them on the 
 Next webinar session on 15/04/2015 for the following topic : 

Steel Design ‐ how to build the model and assign design parameters