Search Results (4)

This paper presents a unified framework for constructing partially unstructured B-spline transfinite finite elements with arbitrary nodal distributions. Three novel, distinct classes of elements are investigated and compared with older single Coons-patch elements. The first consists of classical transfinite elements reformulated using B-spline basis functions. The second includes elements defined by arbitrary control point networks arranged in parallel layers along one direction. The third features arbitrarily placed boundary nodes combined with a tensor-product structure in the interior. For all three classes, novel macro-element formulations are introduced, enabling flexible and customizable nodal configurations while preserving the partition of unity property. The key innovation lies in reinterpreting the generalized coefficients as discrete samples of an underlying continuous univariate function, which is independently approximated at each station in the transfinite element. This perspective generalizes the classical transfinite interpolation by allowing both the blending functions and the univariate trial functions to be defined using non-cardinal bases such as Bernstein polynomials or B-splines, offering enhanced adaptability for complex geometries and nonuniform node layouts. Full article

This paper presents a unified framework for constructing transfinite finite elements with arbitrary node distributions, using either Lagrange or Bernstein polynomial bases. Three distinct classes of elements are considered. The first includes elements with structured internal node layouts and arbitrarily positioned boundary nodes. The second comprises elements with internal nodes arranged to allow smooth transitions in a single direction. The third class consists of elements defined on structured T-meshes with selectively omitted internal nodes, resulting in sparsely populated or incomplete grids. For all three classes, new macro-element (global interpolation) formulations are introduced, enabling flexible node configurations. Each formulation supports representations based on either Lagrange or Bernstein polynomials. In the latter case, two alternative Bernstein-based models are developed as follows: one that is numerically equivalent to its Lagrange counterpart, and another that offers modest improvements in numerical performance. Full article

Transfinite interpolation, originally proposed in the early 1970s as a global interpolation method, was first implemented using Lagrange polynomials and cubic Hermite splines. While initially developed for computer-aided geometric design (CAGD), the method also found application in global finite element analysis. With the advent of isogeometric analysis (IGA), Bernstein–Bézier polynomials have increasingly replaced Lagrange polynomials, particularly in conjunction with tensor product B-splines and non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBSs). Despite its early promise, transfinite interpolation has seen limited adoption in modern CAD/CAE workflows, primarily due to its mathematical complexity—especially when blending polynomials of different degrees. In this context, the present study revisits transfinite interpolation and demonstrates that, in four broad classes, Lagrange polynomials can be systematically replaced by Bernstein polynomials in a one-to-one manner, thus giving the same accuracy. In a fifth class, this replacement yields a robust dual set of basis functions with improved numerical properties. A key advantage of Bernstein polynomials lies in their natural compatibility with weighted formulations, enabling the accurate representation of conic sections and quadrics—scenarios where IGA methods are particularly effective. The proposed methodology is validated through its application to a boundary-value problem governed by the Laplace equation, as well as to the eigenvalue analysis of an acoustic cavity, thereby confirming its feasibility and accuracy. Full article

This paper investigates the derivation of global shape functions in T-meshed quadrilateral patches through transfinite interpolation and local elimination. The same shape functions may be alternatively derived starting from a background tensor product of Lagrange polynomials and then imposing linear constraints. Based on the nodal points of the T-mesh, which are associated with the primary degrees of freedom (DOFs), all the other points of the background grid (i.e., the secondary DOFs) are interpolated along horizontal and vertical stations (isolines) of the tensor product, and thus, linear relationships are derived. By implementing these constraints into the original formula/expression, global shape functions, which are only associated with primary DOFs, are created. The quality of the elements is verified by the numerical solution of a typical potential problem of second order, with boundary conditions of Dirichlet and Neumann type. Full article