CONTINUUM/DISCRETE COMPUTER-AIDED GEOMETRIC MODELING TECHNIQUES VIA FINITE ELEMENTS.

The paper describes automated generation and editing schemes together with the development of computer-aided geometric models for general applications. To facilitate the construction of general finite element models of complex shapes, conventional approaches typical of wireframe, surface, or solid modeling cannot be effectively utilized for generating continuum as well as discrete models simultaneously. In view of these facts, features to generate and model two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional continuum and discrete models and input data files by isoparametric mapping/solid geometrical modeling techniques via a common interactive processor are described. The present scheme is demonstrated for modeling structural, thermal, or flow networks commonly encountered in engineering applications. In an academic/research environment, the techniques addressed should prove to be useful in providing flexibility, and significantly reducing the workload of frequent CAD users.