Judging Good and Bad FE Shapes

摘要

Gaussian integration is an exact method only for elements that have near-perfect shapes-side-to-side ratios of 1x1 for plates or Ixlxl for solids (bricks and tetrahedrals, for example). Once the element shape starts to degrade, so does the quality of your results. A standard rule of thumb is that the element shape should be "pleasing to the eye" and maintain this regularity across the model. Although it's a subjective approach, if the mesh appears to be close to having 1×1×1 proportions, you are good to go.