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So what do I mean by element quality and why is it important? The shape of individual tetrahedra in a mesh can have a large impact on the quality of a simulation. Well proportioned elements are close to equilateral, which I measure by computing the minimum solid angle.
If the model does contain poorly shaped elements, like those shown in the diagram below, simulations which deform or fracture the model may be unstable. For example a slight translation of any vertex of a sliver tetrahedron can cause the sign of the volume of this element to flip and lead to other errors in the simulation. It is best to begin a simulation with a model that consists of only well-proportioned elements that can withstand significant deformations. | ||