ELEMENT MORPHING

 

This menu allows the user to morph a region of selected elements.  As illustrated in Figure 6.5.6, four types of morphing approaches are provided.  All elements within the region must be selected without excluding any elements from the region.  The operation of these functions is similar to those described in the SURFACE MORPHING.

 

Figure 6.5.6 Element Morphing dialog box

 

  1. INTERIOR MORPHING

 

This function allows the user to morph the selected elements by using a node within the element group domain as the control point.

 

¡¤            After a group of elements is selected, the following message is printed in the message prompt window:

 

SELECT CONTROL NODE FOR MORPHING

 

Select any interior node from the selected element group.

¡¤            After the node is selected, the dialog box as illustrated in Figure 6.5.7 is displayed.

Figure 6.5.7 Morphing dialog box

 

The drop down button allows the user to select type of constraint for morphing.  The description of each constraint type is discussed in Section 6.2.1.

 

After a constraint type is selected, enter the morph increment in the dialog box.  Click on the + or - button to morph the surface.  The user may use the NEW CONTROL NODE option to select another interior node on the surface as the control node. Figure 6.5.8 illustrates a typical result (red) generated by element interior morphing.

Figure 6.5.8 An illustration showing a typical result generated by Element Interior Morphing

 

¡¤            Click on EXIT button to update the morphed elements and display the SELECT ELEMENTS dialog box.

¡¤            Select other element to repeat the operation or click on CANCEL button to exit the function.

 

 

 

  1. EDGE MORPHING

 

This function allows the user to select a node on the boundary of the element region as the control node. The operation is similar to those described in the INTERIOR MORPHING.

 

  1. CORNER MORPHING

 

     This function allows the user to select a corner node of the element region as the control node. The operation is similar to those described in the INTERIOR MORPHING.

 

  1. EDGE QUADRATIC

 

This function enables the user to morph a region of elements controlled by an edge of the region. The selected elements must include distinctive corner features along the morphing edge.  The user must select a node along the morphing edge as the control node.  The entire edge is selected as the control line to morph the elements in the region.

 

The rest of the operations are similar to those described in INTERIOR MORPHING.