Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR)

Category: 流体解析(CFD) | Integrated 2026-04-06
CAE visualization for amr mesh theory - technical simulation diagram
適応型メッシュ細分化(AMR)

Theory and Physics

Overview

🧑‍🎓

Teacher! Today's topic is Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR), right? What is it?


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Local mesh refinement based on solution gradients. Shock waves, interface tracking.




Governing Equations




$$ \text{Error indicator: } \epsilon=\|\nabla\phi\|\cdot h $$
$$ \text{Refinement criteria} $$



🧑‍🎓

I see... Adaptive Mesh Refinement seems simple at first glance, but it's actually very profound, isn't it?


Discretization Methods

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How do you actually solve this equation on a computer?


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We use spatial discretization by the Finite Element Method (FEM). We assemble the element stiffness matrix and construct the global stiffness equation.


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We perform transformation to the weak form (variational form) and use formulation by the Galerkin method using test functions and shape functions. The choice of element type (low-order elements vs. higher-order elements, full integration vs. reduced integration) directly affects the trade-off between solution accuracy and computational cost.




Matrix Solution Algorithms

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What exactly do you mean by matrix solution algorithms?


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Solve the system of equations using direct methods (LU decomposition, Cholesky decomposition) or iterative methods (CG method, GMRES method). Preconditioned iterative methods are effective for large-scale problems.



SolverClassificationMemory UsageApplicable Scale
LU DecompositionDirect MethodO(n²)Small to Medium Scale
Cholesky DecompositionDirect Method (Symmetric Positive Definite)O(n²)Small to Medium Scale
PCG MethodIterative MethodO(n)Large Scale
GMRES MethodIterative MethodO(n·m)Large Scale / Non-symmetric
AMG PreconditionerPreprocessingO(n)Very Large Scale
🧑‍🎓

So, if you cut corners on the Finite Element Method part, you'll pay for it later. I'll keep that in mind!


Implementation in Commercial Tools

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So, what software can be used to do Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR)?


Tool NameDeveloper/CurrentMain File Formats
Ansys FluentAnsys Inc..cas, .dat, .msh, .jou
Simcenter STAR-CCM+Siemens Digital Industries Software.sim, .java, .csv
OpenFOAMOpen Source (OpenCFD/ESI, OpenFOAM Foundation)Dictionary files (blockMeshDict, etc.), .foam
Ansys CFXAnsys Inc..cfx, .def, .res, .ccl

Vendor Lineage and Product Integration History

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Do the origins of each software have dramatic stories?



Ansys Fluent

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Next is about Ansys Fluent. What's the content?


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Developed by Fluent Inc. Acquired by Ansys in 2006. A general-purpose CFD solver based on unstructured grids.

Current Affiliation: Ansys Inc.



Simcenter STAR-CCM+

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Next is about Simcenter STAR. What's the content?


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Developed by CD-adapco. Acquired by Siemens in 2016 and integrated into the Simcenter brand. Polyhedral mesh is a key feature.

Current Affiliation: Siemens Digital Industries Software


🧑‍🎓

After hearing this, I finally understand why development is so important!



OpenFOAM

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What exactly is OpenFOAM?


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Open-source CFD originating from Imperial College London. Parallel development by OpenCFD Ltd (under ESI Group) and The OpenFOAM Foundation.

Current Affiliation: Open Source (OpenCFD/ESI, OpenFOAM Foundation)


🧑‍🎓

Wow, the story about development is super interesting! Tell me more.


File Formats and Interoperability

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Are there any points to note when transferring data between different software?


FormatExtensionTypeOverview
CGNS.cgnsCFD DataCFD General Notation System. Standard exchange format for CFD results.
VTK.vtk/.vtuVisualizationVisualization Toolkit format. Used by ParaView, etc.
STL.stlMeshTriangular facets only. 3D printer standard. Not suitable for CAE meshes.
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When converting models between different solvers, attention must be paid to the correspondence of element types, compatibility of material models, and differences in the representation of loads and boundary conditions. Particularly, higher-order elements and special elements (cohesive elements, user-defined elements, etc.) often cannot be directly converted between solvers.


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