Question
What is the appropriate mesh size for Plate/Solid elements?
Answer
As the number of meshes increases, the analysis results become more accurate. However, when the number of meshes exceeds a certain threshold, the results tend to converge. Therefore, it is recommended not to divide the mesh size too finely, considering the system's performance.
Finite element analysis models an actual structure with a finite number of nodes and elements. Then the final result is obtained by interpolating/extrapolating the calculated value from the Gauss point. Therefore, the smaller the distance between nodes, the more accurate results are obtained. The figure below can be used to demonstrate this.
Basically, a finite element analysis program assumes that the real structure can be represented by a finite number of nodes and elements, considering the system's performance.
The maximum memory available for MIDAS Civil analysis is currently 2GB. The memory used during analysis depends on how many calculations are performed. Since each structural model has a different size, the number of calculations performed depends on the number of nodes and elements in the entire model rather than the mesh size.
In conclusion, there is no specific criterion for the appropriate mesh size. The user should make his or her own judgment considering the performance of the system and the accuracy of the analysis.
It should be noted that the results based on the mesh size of Plate and Solid elements converge to a specific value after a certain number of elements are reached. As a result, if the error is in the allowable range, it is not recommended to divide the mesh size too finely when considering system performance.