Isogeometric modeling and

analysis

Vibeke Skytt
CAD FEM
SINTEF
May 2010

ICT 1
Traditional Product Design Scenario

 Based on the accepted

Meshing
approach for the integration of
CAD and FEA Definition of
Surface
 FEM well established in 1970 Mesh Boundary conditions
 Volumetric CAD research in
1970s, established in the 1990s
 From the patch work of CAD- Volume
surface establish a FEA type Mesh
surface mesh
 Approximate shape, watertight Shape
Simplification
Simulation Post
 Add volumetric mesh Processing
 Define boundary conditions
 Simplify shape Solving

 Solve
 Post process (from AIM@SHAPE )

ICT 2
 Isogeometric analysis: Product Design Scenario
Isogeometric analysis introduced in
2005 by Prof. T.J.R. Hughes; Isogeometric
CAD-model
Simplified
Isogeometric model
University of Texas at Austin.
 Replace traditional h- and p-finite
elements by NURBS
Shape
 Isogeometric CAD-model based on Simplification
NURBS volumes Meshing
 Volumetric NURBS model at all stages
Update isogeometric
in the analysis process CAD-model
 Meshing replaced by refinement

Isogeometric model
Refined
 Exact geometry
Isogeometric
 NURBS-elements better adapted to the Rational
continuity of the physical problems Spline Model
analyzed
 Claim: NURBS elements have many
advantages compared to traditional Definition of
Finite Elements Simulation Post Boundary conditions
Processing
 Claim: Removes the bottleneck
between CAD and analysis
 Examples published show superior Solving
performance of isogeometric analysis
compared to traditional FEA
Isogeometric solution Model for isogeometric
simulation

ICT 3
Why are splines important to isogeometric
analysis?
 Representing geometry and solution field related to the numerical
simulation in the same function space (isoparametric approach)
 B-Splines are polynomials, same as Finite Elements
 B-Splines are very stable numerically
 B-splines represent regular piecewise polynomial structure in a more
compact way than Finite Elements, enables automatic continuity
 NonUniform rational B-splines can represent degree 2 algebraic
curves and surfaces exactly. (circle, ellipse, cylinder, cone…)
 Efficient and stable methods exist for refining the piecewise
polynomials represented by splines
 Knot insertion (Oslo Algorithm, 1980)
 Degree elevation
 Combinations
 NURBS is an industry standard and a standard for data exchange
(STEP)

ICT 4
Knot refinement of a B-spline curve
f(t)=∑iciBi,k(t), i=1,…,n

Knot insertion to get a

Quadratic B-spline curve
multiple knot
with two inner knots B(t)
B(t)

1 1

0 0
t t

Knotvector: 0 0 0 1 2 3 3 3 Knotvector: 0 0 0 1 2 2 3 3 3

ICT 5
 Uniform refinement

Quadratic B-spline curve

B(t)
with two inner knots
B(t) B(t) 1
1
1
0 t

0 t 0 t
Knotvector: 0 0 0 0.25 0.5
Knotvector: 0 0 0 1 2 3 3 3 Knotvector: 0 0 0 0.5 1 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75 2
1.5 2 2.5 3 3 3 2.25 2.5 2.75 3 3 3

ICT 6
Degree raising

Cubic B-spline curve with inner

knots of multiplicity 2. The
continuity is the same as for the
Quadratic B-spline curve quadratic curve
with two inner knots B(t)
B(t)
1
1

0 t
0 t
Knotvector: 0 0 0 1 2 3 3 3 Knotvector: 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3

ICT 7
Refinement of a spline surface

A part of a sphere is The surface is refined by Further refinement. The

represented by on quadratic
rational spline surface
without any inner knots (9
basis functions)
adding one knot in each surface keeps the same
parameter direction geometry, only the
representation is altered
ICT 8
The isogeometric simulation process
An analysis suitable model

Add boundary
conditions,
Create geometry
Isogeometric properties Isogeometric
CAD model model mesh
Refinement
Translate model
(the model is
(can involve essencially the
simplification Perform
same, only analysis
and enriched with
approximaton) more information)

Result

Update geometry
(which version of the Visualization
geometry should be
updated?)

ICT 9
What is an analysis suitable isogeometric
model?

 A block structured model

 Each block is a NU(R)BS surface or
volume
 The blocks meet in a corner-to-
corner configuration
 No trimming is applied
 Neighborhood information is known
 Adjacent surfaces or volumes meet
with exact C0 continuity, no gaps
and no overlaps
 Degeneracy is used with care
 Well behaved spline spaces

ICT 10
Obstacles in the process flow
 The representation of a CAD
model compared to an
isogeometric model
 Trimming
 A boundary represented solid is
represented by its outer shell only
 Surface structuring
 Local refinement
 For a surface or a volume,
refinement is global for each patch
 Correspondence between
coefficients of adjacent
surface/volumes spreads refinement
even further

ICT 11
CAD quality - mesh quality
CAD quality. Avoid:
 Short curves and edges
 Small surfaces and faces
 Sliver faces
 Gaps between faces
 Non-smooth models
 Edges and vertices too distant from
the corresponding face
 Acute faces and edges
 Embedded curves and surfaces
 Self intersections
 Degenerate surface boundaries
 Small curvature radius
 Folded surfaces, oscillations
 Bad knot distribution
 …
Finite element mesh. Avoid:
 Large variations in
triangle/tetrahedra size
 Long, thin triangles/tetrahedra
 Excessively skewed elements
 Gaps between meshes
Isogeometric mesh. Pay attention to:
 The knot vector
 Continuity of the spline space
 The distribution of coefficients
 Degeneracy
 Continuity across patch boundaries
 …
ICT 12
Quality of a CAD model with regard to
isogeometric modeling and analysis
 A legal CAD model, satisfies requirements related to
LOTAR (AIA/ASD EN-9300 )
 An analysis suitable CAD model
 Still a Brep model
 Patch structure defined by shape, not by history or design tool UI
 Additional information

 Volumetric CAD? CSG-like approach to modeling

 No trimming? Large consequences to modeling

ICT 13
Holes in a model (remove trimming)

 Given is a plate with a hole

where one side is represented as
trimmed plane or B-spline
surface with inner and outer
trimming
 Trimming curves from each
corners to the hole results in 4
trimmed surfaces
 The surfaces are 4-sided and
can be approximated with
NURBS (planar => no
approximation)
 The volume is generated by
sweep

ICT 14
A Boundary Represented Solid
Cone, same apex, angle and axis

Cone, same axis, different

apex and angle

Plane, normal follow main

axis

Cylinder, same axis

Plane, normal orthogonal

to main axis

Symmetric around the

main axis and mid plane

ICT 15
Creating the corresponding isogeometri model

The top part of the The faces are split in

To achieve a corner-to-
object is fetched and vertices belonging only
corner configuration of
shown together with its to one face. The split is
the patches, the faces
outer boundary, corner performed by
are split at vertices not
edges and the vertices intersecting with planes
corresponding to a
of this sub model. The going through the
corner. The surfaces are
surfaces have been symmetry axis and
at this stage still
converted to trimmed include the intersection
trimmed.
NURBS. curves in the trimming
loops of the faces

ICT 16
Continuation

The surfaces
with the B-
spline control
net

The trimmed surfaces are

approximated with non- A volume model is
trimmed B-spline surfaces, created by lofting
some of them are degenerate. between
corresponding
The surfaces are mirrored surfaces.
around the symmetry plane

ICT 17
Eigenvalue analysis

Mode 9
Mode 7

Mode 11
Mode 13

ICT 18
Stress computations (von Mises)

 The derivatives of the basis

functions in a set of sample
points are involved in the
expressions
 Some derivatives are zero
in the degenerate points
 The accuracy suffers close
to the degenerate points
 This implies some problems
for the degenerate volumes
which must be handled
(jump in pressure in the
vicinity of the degenerate
points)
 Still a reasonable result

ICT 19
Avoiding the acute angle
The model is the spline
version of the top faces.
The pattern shows how the
model is divided into
surfaces.
The red curves show the
surfaces with acute angles.
The inner curves The corresponding
corresponding to the acute volume model. No
angles are modified and the acute edges, but
adjacent surfaces updated still degenerate
according to the new volumes.
curves. This implies a
change in geometry.
ICT 20
Stress computation

Similar results as the previous case

ICT 21
Removing the degeneracy

Initial configuration

Detail: The faces with acute angles are divided into

one regular face and one with an acute angle. A
piece of the adjacent surface is extracted such
that three surfaces together define a 4-sided
domain.

New configuration

ICT 22
 Finalizing the model

The spline surfaces. The 3 degenerate

surfaces are merged into 1 regular surface

The corresponding volume model

Detail: The surface configuration and the control polygon

ICT 23
Stress computations

 No jump in pressure like the ones we found in the previous cases.

 Smooth result
 Do we want to modify the model in this way?

ICT 24
Model 2

 Axis found
 Sharp edges shown by red
curves
 Volume model may be generated
by a number of sweeps provided
that the emphasized face is
handled
 Holes must be isolated (green
lines). Intersect with planes
through the axis
 Split each face containing a hole
(brown lines)
 Update adjacent faces
 Create spline surfaces

ICT 25
Model 3 blend

Define
surface
corner
d

 Create volume model by sweep provided that the emphasized face is

defined as one or more spline surfaces
 4 corners, but one surface is not appropriate due to the shape of the
face (depends on the size of d)
 Splitting in the middle of the blends (green curves) gives 3 surfaces
 Needs knowledge about blends. Additional knowledge should be
transferred through data exchanged and utilized

ICT 26
Local refinement
Several research approaches:
 T-splines
 Allow T’s in the control grid
 Ruled based refinement
 Mostly surfaces
 Linear independence of basis
functions not guaranteed
 LR splines (locally refined splines)
SINTEF LR splines:
Initial
 Refine basis functions independently NURBS
 Extendable to volumes surface
 Guarantee linear independence of
basis functions Refined by LR
splines and
 Under development
modified to
 PHT splines create details
not following
 Cubic with C1 continuity
the flow lines
 Sub space of LR splines of the initial
surface

ICT 27
Refinement with LR splines

Initial surface
Refined

Details

ICT 28
Data exchange issues

 Spline volumes
 Solution fields represented by splines
 Correspondence between geometric representation and
solution representation
 Brep type volume topology (non-manifold)
 Structures for local refinement

 Context information related to CAD models

 Standards
 Export
 Import

ICT 29
 Impact of isogeometric representation on STEP

Impact of
isogeometric
representation
Volumetric rational
splines

Source: http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/cgns/minutes/attachments/AP209Edition2OverviewRev1.2.pdf

ICT 30
Conclusion
 Bridge the gap (extend the
bridge) between CAD and FEM
 More appropriate CAD models
 Address assemblies
 Reduction of dimensionality.
Solve problems on the lowest
possible level
 Curves before surfaces
 Surfaces before volumes
 Solids before assemblies
 Local refinement
 Extended exchange formats
Isogeometry. Project sponsored by the
Norwegian research council for improving
the mathematics used in the processes
between CAD and FEM. (2008-2011)
(SINTEF in cooperation with Jotne and Aker
Solutions).
ICADA. Project sponsored by the Norwegian
research council looking at the use of
splines elements (mathematics of CAD) in
FEM. (2008-2013) (SINTEF + 3 industrial
partners).
Exciting. EU-project looking at the use of
isogeometric analysis within the transport
sector. (2008-2011) (3 Universities,
2 R&D Institutes, 4 industrial partners)
ICT 31
 Isogeometry
Isogeometric representation – integrating CAD and
analysis
 Project period: 2008 – 2011
 Budget: 7500K NOK (~ 937K Euro)
 Sponsored: 80% by The Norwegian
Research Council, 20% by the industry
partners
 Work performed at SINTEF
 1 post doc employed at CMA (University
of Oslo)
 Main emphasis:
 Correctness of CAD models
 Repair of CAD models
 Creation of isogeometric representation
from STEP type CAD model
 Generation of isogeometric finite
elements

ICT 32