12.3.

3 Solution-based mesh sizing

Products: Abaqus/Standard Abaqus/CAE

References

“Adaptive remeshing: overview,” Section 12.3.1

“Selection of error indicators influencing adaptive remeshing,” Section 12.3.2

“Understanding ALE adaptive meshing,” Section 14.6 of the Abaqus/CAE User's Guide

“Advanced meshing techniques,” Section 17.14 of the Abaqus/CAE User's Guide

Overview

Solution-based mesh sizing:

is performed in Abaqus/CAE; and

operates on error indicator output variables and your remeshing rule parameters (see “Creating a remeshing rule,”
Section 17.21.1 of the Abaqus/CAE User's Guide) to determine an improved element size distribution for your
mesh.

Basic operation of the sizing method

The sizing method calculates new element sizes during the adaptive remeshing process. Abaqus/CAE applies the sizing
method to a field of error indicator variables and their corresponding base solution variables over the region defined by
the remeshing rule. The output of a sizing method is a set of scalar sizes located at the nodes in the region defined by the
remeshing rule. Figure 12.3.3–1 illustrates the sizing operation. Figure 12.3.3–1 shows the base solution and error
indicator distributions after the first remesh iteration. The sizing method determines that the element size should be
reduced in the region of greatest error indicator and increased in the region of the lowest error indicator. The mesh that is
generated from these target element sizes is illustrated.

Figure 12.3.3–1 Sizing method operation and interaction with meshing.

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Characteristics of error indicators

The sizing method and parameter settings that you select have a significant impact on how adaptive remeshing changes
the error indicator distribution in your model. You may, for example, choose a sizing method that aggressively reduces
error indicators only near a stress riser. In other cases, where the global response of your structure is more important than
local effects, you may choose a sizing method that attempts to reduce the error indicators to a uniform level throughout
the region. To understand how the sizing methods affect the error indicators, you should first understand typical
characteristics of the error indicator variables.

Figure 12.3.3–2 provides an illustration of an error indicator and corresponding base solution distribution on a
generalized slice through a model.

Figure 12.3.3–2 Error indicator and base solution distribution.

Figure 12.3.3–2 illustrates the following error indicator characteristics:

In regions where the value of the base solution is high, such as for element “i” in Figure 12.3.3–2, error indicator

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 values can be low relative to local values of the base solution. In many cases you may want to use mesh refinement
to drive these error indicators even lower.

In regions where the base solution is low, such as for element “j” in Figure 12.3.3–2, error indicator values can be
high relative to the local values of the base solution. In many cases you may not be interested in obtaining an
accurate solution in these regions.

These characteristics can affect your decision on which sizing method to use and what parameters to set in the sizing
method.

Sizing methods

Sizing methods employ the concept of an error target, , which is expressed in a normalized percentage form and which
defines a general goal

where is a measure of the error indicator and is a measure of the base solution. Based on your definition of the
error targets when you created the remeshing rule, Abaqus/CAE creates a size distribution that attempts to meet your
error target in the subsequent analysis job using the remeshed model. The specific meaning of an error target depends on
your choice of the sizing method.

Abaqus/CAE provides two fundamental sizing methods: Minimum/maximum control and Uniform error distribution.
You can also choose a third method, Default method and parameters, which results in Abaqus/CAE choosing one of
the fundamental sizing methods for you, based on your choice of error indicator variable.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method

Minimum/maximum control

The minimum/maximum control method provides the most flexibility in the remeshing of your model. This method has
the following characteristics:

Two error indicator targets for controlling the sizing. controls the sizing in regions where the base solution
(such as stress) is highest, and controls the sizing in regions where the base solution is lowest.

A continuous variation in error targets between regions of high and low base solution values, with a bias factor
parameter provided to control the variation.

To avoid excessive refinement at elements with a small base solution, a global averaged element base is chosen
when the element base solution is smaller than the global averaged element base.

If singularities are present in the remeshing rule region, this method will fail to satisfy the error target because the
maximum base solution, which occurs at the location of the singularity, is unbounded.

You can either allow Abaqus to choose the targets automatically, or you can specify the error targets. Similarly, you can
accept the default bias factor displayed by Abaqus/CAE, or you can specify a qualitative bias factor.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Method: choose
Minimum/Maximum control

Allowing Abaqus/CAE to choose the error targets

If you specify the minimum/maximum error control method without setting error targets, Abaqus/CAE automatically
chooses the error targets, and . Both targets are computed as a fraction of the error indicator result in the
previous remesh iteration analysis. Automatic error target reduction is a good choice for mesh refinement studies, where

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you have no specific error target goal but want to see the impact of mesh refinement on your results.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Error Targets; choose Automatic
error target reduction

Specifying the error targets

As an alternative to automatic error target reduction, you can specify the two error targets, and . Figure
12.3.3–2 illustrates these two locations. is applied to element , and is applied to element .

Using the value of the two error targets, Abaqus/CAE applies a sizing method that attempts to meet both and
at their respective locations.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Error Targets; choose Fixed error
targets; enter the maximum base solution error indicator target, , and the minimum base
solution error indicator target,

Bias factor

You can use the bias factor definition in the remeshing rule to further tune the distribution of sizing between maximum
and minimum base solution locations. The bias factor defines the gradient of the size distribution between these two
extremes in your remesh region, as shown in Figure 12.3.3–3.

Figure 12.3.3–3 The impact of the bias factor on the element size distribution.

You can set this factor between two qualitative extremes, “weak” and “strong.” At the weak extreme, element sizes will
increase most quickly at locations moving away from the maximum base solution. At the strong extreme, element sizes
will increase most slowly. The default setting is a bias toward the strong extreme.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Mesh Bias; drag the slider to a setting
between Weak and Strong

Uniform error distribution

The uniform error distribution method provides a single error indicator target, , for controlling the sizing. Abaqus/CAE
applies a sizing method such that the total error in the remeshing rule region is distributed uniformly across all the
elements and satisfies the given error indicator target. This method attempts to satisfy the error indicator target
collectively for the whole remeshing rule region but not at every element. Therefore, the presence of singularities will not
prevent the adaptivity process from achieving the error target.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Method: choose Uniform error
distribution

Allowing Abaqus/CAE to choose the error target

If you specify the uniform error distribution method without setting an error target, Abaqus/CAE automatically chooses
the error target, . The target is computed as a fraction of the error indicator result in the previous remesh iteration
analysis. Automatic error target reduction is a good choice for mesh refinement studies, where you have no specific error
target goal but want to see the impact of mesh refinement on your results.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Error Targets; choose Automatic
error target reduction

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Specifying the error target

As an alternative to the automatic error target reduction, you can specify the single error target, . When you use the
uniform error distribution method, Abaqus/CAE compares the error target to a global norm of a normalized form of the
error indicator. Such an approach ensures a globally converging mesh within the region.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Error Targets: choose Fixed error
target; enter the error indicator target,

Default sizing methods and parameters

This method results in application of the Automatic error target reduction form of either the Minimum/maximum
control or Uniform error distribution method, with the method applied based on the error indicator variable according
to Table 12.3.3–1.

Table 12.3.3–1 Default sizing method for each error indicator.

Solution Quantity Error indicator variable Default sizing method

Element energy density ENDENERI Uniform error distribution
Mises stress MISESERI Minimum/maximum control
Equivalent plastic strain PEEQERI Minimum/maximum control
Plastic strain PEERI Minimum/maximum control
Creep strain CEERI Minimum/maximum control
Heat flux HFLERI Uniform error distribution
Electric flux EFLERI Minimum/maximum control
Electric potential gradient EPGERI Minimum/maximum control

When your remeshing rule refers to multiple error indicators, sizing methods will be applied independently to each error
indicator variable with the resulting local size based on the smallest size calculated from each sizing method.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Sizing Method: Method: choose Default methods and
parameters

Example: Plate with a circular stress riser

The difference between the basic behavior of the minimum/maximum control and the uniform error distribution methods
is illustrated by a simple example. Figure 12.3.3–4 shows the stress result for a simple loading of a plate with a hole.

Figure 12.3.3–4 Initial mesh and Mises stress distribution for a plane stress plate with a hole, subjected to a uniform
horizontal boundary traction.

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Minimum/maximum control

Figure 12.3.3–5 illustrates the adaptive mesh that was generated by Abaqus/CAE when the user selected the
minimum/maximum control method and specified the two error targets ( and ). In this example =5% and
=1%, and the mesh bias is set to the default setting. These settings result in a mesh that focuses tightly around the
hole, the stress riser, while transitioning smoothly to a relatively coarse mesh away from the hole.

Figure 12.3.3–5 Adaptive remesh resulting from the minimum/maximum control sizing method.

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Uniform error distribution

Figure 12.3.3–6 illustrates the adaptive mesh that was generated by Abaqus/CAE when the user selected the uniform
error distribution method and specified the single uniform error indicator target ( ). In this example =1%. This setting
results in a mesh that focuses around the hole, the stress riser, while also refining the mesh in less stressed regions.

Figure 12.3.3–6 Adaptive remesh resulting from the uniform error distribution sizing method.

Impact of additional remeshing rule settings

You specify the sizing method when you create a remeshing rule, and the sizing method calculates new element sizes
during the adaptive remeshing process. However, the following additional settings in the remeshing rule can affect the
mesh generated by Abaqus/CAE, regardless of the sizing method that you selected:

region selection,

step and frame selection,

size constraints,

approximate maximum number of elements, and

refinement and coarsening rate factors.

Region selection

Sizing methods are defined across sets of elements, corresponding to the regions over which the remeshing rules were
applied in Abaqus/CAE. Within each set of elements, Abaqus/CAE applies the sizing operation to the error indicator
variables specified in the remeshing rule. The results of the sizing operation are based on the extrapolation of whole
element calculations to the nearest nodes, and the results are node based.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Edit Region

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Step and frame selection

Abaqus applies sizing operations to error indicator variables from only the last available frame in a specified step. See
“Error indicator characteristics” in “Selection of error indicators influencing adaptive remeshing,” Section 12.3.2, for a
discussion of how your selection of the step, frame, and error indicator can affect your ability to capture the response in
transient analyses.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Step and Indicator: Step; select the step to which the
rule is applied

and

Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Step and Indicator: Output Frequency; choose either
Last increment of step or All increments of step

Size constraints

When you create the remeshing rule, you can constrain the sizing operation from specifying elements greater than or less
than size constraints that you define for the remesh rule region. Abaqus/CAE provides default settings for these
constraints.

The default minimum element size constraint is 1% of the default boundary seed size for the part instance to which
the remeshing rule is applied.

The default maximum element size constraint is 10 times the default boundary seed size for the part instance to
which the remeshing rule is applied.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Constraints: Element Size

Approximate maximum number of elements

For a remeshing rule you can specify an approximate limit for the maximum number of elements. By using this
constraint, you can control the cost of your analysis and ensure that unreasonably large meshes are not created. If the
target error requires more elements than the specified limit when this constraint is defined, Abaqus/CAE will reduce the
target error internally so that the generated elements approximately satisfy the specified element count. The use of this
constraint may prevent an adaptivity process from achieving the error targets. By default, this constraint is not active.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Constraints: Approximate maximum number of
elements

Refinement and coarsening rate factors

The refinement and coarsening factors that you specify define a constraint on the mesh size in terms of iteration to
iteration changes to the mesh. These factors modulate the aggressivity of the sizing methods. The refinement factor
controls the refinement of the mesh or the introduction of smaller elements. The coarsening factor controls the
coarsening of the mesh or the introduction of larger elements. Abaqus/CAE provides default settings for these rate
factors, which are designed to prevent excessive coarsening or prohibitively expensive refinement in a single remesh
iteration.

The refinement factor can have a significant effect on the convergence of the adaptive meshing procedure. Once you
have settled on sizing method parameters that work well for your application, you may be able to achieve faster and more
efficient mesh convergence by increasing the refinement factor. In cases where your adaptivity process is not converging
well, however, an increased refinement factor could result in an excessive increase in elements in a remesh iteration.

Abaqus/CAE Usage: Mesh module: Create Remeshing Rule: Constraints: Rate Limits

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Reconciling overlapping remeshing rules

Abaqus/CAE imposes no restrictions on the region or the steps associated with your remeshing rules. You can apply
multiple remeshing rules and, hence, sizing functions to the same region at the same time. Similarly, you can specify
remeshing rules that overlap one another. When Abaqus/CAE generates the new mesh, it considers all of the remeshing
rules at all of the locations and uses the smallest calculated element size to drive the meshing algorithm.

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