Software Features

Mesh Visualization

 V2K provides facilities which support the visual inspection of a multi-block structured mesh. For a selected grid block, mesh planes may be displayed at arbitrary static locations and/or the user may perform a dynamic sweep through the block in order to qualitatively assess the variation of the mesh in any of the coordinate directions. The graphical user interface provides an assortment of widgets including sliders, pushbuttons and text fields which enable rapid mesh plane specification. Plane settings may be copied to other blocks and rendering style is user selectable.

Mesh Interrogation

 V2K also provides facilities which aid in mesh interrogation. Tools supporting both qualitative and quantitative assessment are included. Qualitative assessments are performed graphically in that various mesh characteristics may be rendered using flooded contours, and quantitative assessments provide for precise numeric measures of either mesh skewness or stretching. Hexahedral elements possessing negative volumes may also be identified.

Mesh Modification

 Meshes which exhibit localized deficiencies may be modified using the mesh modification facilities available within V2K. These operations consist of algebraic remeshing and elliptic smoothing which may be applied across any portion of a surface (bounding or interior). Volume meshes may also be altered via redistribution and/or redimensioning. In either event, a novel concept based on volumetric NURBS is employed which essentially fits the volume mesh as a precursor to either operation. The advantage to this is that the character of the original mesh retained and the user need not revert to a lengthy mesh regeneration process.

Topological Feature Identification

 V2K provides facilities which automatically perform topological feature identification as such informaiton is typically required by the flow solver. Specifically, the software will automatically detect point continuous block-to-block interfaces as well as singularities. Facilities are also provided to enable the identification of patched interfaces though the user plays a role in this process. The results of these findings are summarized within a neutral map file which comprises a generic description of the required topological features. This data may be reformatted to satisfy the needs of any flow field solver.

Boundary Condition Assignment

 Lastly, V2K provides interactive facilities which enable the assignment of flow field boundary conditions to selected surfaces of the mesh. A standard set of boundary conditions are provided and facilities are included to expand upon this list as desired. These assignments also appear in the neutral map file.