FEM best practices and examples

Mesh Size

The mesh element used with in XFEM4U is a modified Kirchhoff element. It is extended in 2021 by | Professor Blaauwendraad. Usually Kirchhoff is less precise regarding shearforce distribution. In the modified element this is solved.

Below we describe a method how to find the right mesh size for your structure. If you make the mesh too dense, internal forces will be higher then reality. First some basics.

• Element size should never be smaller then the plate thickness. Otherwise the theory of Kirchhoff is not correct anymore.
• Element size also at least the smallest spansize in the structure to expect a correct result.
• Steel plate structures: If you make you mesh 50% smaller the stress should not increate more then 10-12%.

Workflow to find the right meshsize within a steel structure.