FEA Topology for Reanalysis Page 1 of 2

HyperMesh and BatchMesher

FEA Topology for Reanalysis

The purpose of this functionality is to provide an iso-density surface based on the volumetric
density information from a topology optimization. Through tetrameshing for 3-D models and
inheriting boundary conditions, the results from FEA topology can be used for quick
reanalysis.
FEA topology can handle both shell and solid elements. For 3-D models, the recovered iso-
surface can be tetrameshed-by-property automatically. FEA topology provides two options
for the processing of non-design elements: Keep smooth narrow layer around and Split
all quads. Keep smooth narrow layer around will retain an artificial layer of elements
around the non-design space in the interpretation, and Split all quads will split quad
elements in the non-design space, if present, to generate a tetra connection between design
and non-design regions. Finally, FEA topology preserves boundary conditions by inheriting
them from the original model (<prefix>.fem). Those boundary conditions unattached to
nodes/elements after geometry recovery are deleted to ensure reanalysis.
An example of FEA topology for reanalysis is shown below with the following input data
definition:

block
file

0.300
density threshold

off
Keep smooth narrow
layer around

on
Split all quads

Result of FEA topology for reanalysis

file:///C:/Program%20Files/Altair/13.0/help/hm/fea_topology_reanalysis.htm?toc=0&... 29.09.2016
FEA Topology for Reanalysis Page 2 of 2

The same model is run, this time with Keep smooth narrow layer around on, and Split all
quads off. This approach creates a layer of elements around the non-design region and
pyramids around the quad elements, if quads exist, to connect to the design space
tetrahedral elements.

Result of FEA topology with a layer of elements around non-design space

Tetramesh will be applied on the iso-surface result if there is one close volume at least. The
advantages of the tetramesh in FEA topology include:
• Tetramesh can be performed by property.
• The flexibility of controlling the number of tetramesh retries by perturbing the density
threshold value, in cases where tetramesh sometimes fails.

file:///C:/Program%20Files/Altair/13.0/help/hm/fea_topology_reanalysis.htm?toc=0&... 29.09.2016