Most 3D mesh generation techniques require simplification and mesh
improvement stages to prepare a tetrahedral model for efficient
simulation. We have developed an algorithm that both reduces the
number of tetrahedra in the model to permit interactive manipulation
and removes the most poorly shaped tetrahedra to allow for stable
physical simulations such as the Finite Element Method. The initial
tetrahedral model may be composed of several different materials
representing internal structures. Our approach targets the
elimination of poorly-shaped elements while simplifying the model
using edge collapses and other mesh operations, such as vertex
smoothing, tetrahedral swaps, and vertex addition. We present the
results of our algorithm on a variety of inputs, including models with
more than a million tetrahedra. In practice, our algorithm reliably
reduces meshes to contain only tetrahedra that meet specified shape
requirements, such as the minimum solid angle.
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