IGA2025

Automated T-Splines Creation with Extraordinary Points via Hierarchical Domain Decomposition

  • Peixoto, Joao Carlos (PUC-Rio)
  • Rangel, Rafael (CIMNE)
  • Martha, Luiz Fernando (PUC-Rio)

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Isogeometric analysis (IGA) is a numerical methodology for solving differential equations by employing basis functions that preserve the exact geometry of the domain. This approach is based on a class of mathematical functions called NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines). Representing a domain with NURBS entities can often require multiple patches, especially in complex geometries. Bivariate NURBS are defined as a tensor product, which implies that refinements are applied globally within a patch and, in multi-patch models, these refinements are propagated to other model patches. The use of T-Splines with extraordinary points offers a solution to this issue by enabling the possibility of local refinements through unstructured meshes. The analysis of T-Spline models is carried out through a Bezier extraction technique, which is based on the definition of extraction operators that map Bezier functions to T-Spline functions. The generation of a T-Spline model is a task that requires appropriate care to ensure that all T-Spline functions are linearly independent, a necessary condition for IGA to form T-Splines suitable for analysis. In this sense, following our preliminary studies, the present work proposes a methodology to automate the generation of unstructured meshes for IGA through T-Spline with extraordinary points. An algorithm for generating unstructured meshes for finite elements, based on hierarchical domain decomposition, is adapted to construct T-Spline models. Numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency of the methodology in generating locally refined models for isogeometric analysis.