SESAM TUTORIAL

HydroMesh Tutorial
Tools for creating a user controlled surface mesh

Valid from program version 4.10

SAFEGUARDING
LIFE,
PROPERTY
AND THE
ENVIRONMENT
SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER
Sesam Tutorial

HydroMesh – create a user controlled surface mesh

Date: 01 October 2017, Revision 01

Valid from HydroD version 4.10

Prepared by DNV GL - Software

E-mail support: [email protected]

E-mail sales: [email protected]

© DNV GL AS. All rights reserved

This publication or parts thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
including copying or recording, without the prior written consent of DNV GL AS.
Table of contents
1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1

2 WORKSHOP START ......................................................................................................... 2

2.1 Start program 3
2.2 Create split line 5
2.3 Create additional split lines as shown below 6
2.4 Adjusting the split line ends 9
2.5 Create the mesh 10
2.6 Radial expansion 13
2.7 Copy properties to another patch 15
2.8 Repeat this process for all the other patches 17
2.9 Modify patches 19
2.10 Mesh the remaining shape 20
2.11 Close-up view of the mesh 22
2.12 The mesh displyed in HydroD 23

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1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this document is to describe how to use the HydroMesh tool to create a user controlled
surface mesh. This includes:

• How to start HydroMesh

• HydroMesh user interface

• Divide the surface in patches

• Change the mesh resolution/corner points

For a general description of the section model see the HydroD user manual.

For structures like a semisubmersible the automatic free surface meshing will typically give a mesh as
shown below. Close to the legs this mesh may introduce numerical inaccuracies.

With HydroMesh it is possible to improve the mesh quality on the free surface considerably.

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2 WORKSHOP START
To start this workshop do as follows:
• Create a new workspace
• Execute the file hydromesh_tutorial.js in the UserExamples\Semi\inp folder

• Start HydroMesh as shown on the next page.

This workspace is basically identical to the example with a semi-submersible in a

damaged condition.

After execution of the js-file you will have an automatically created surface mesh as
shown on the previous page.

During the workshop an improved mesh is created by interactive surface modelling.

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2.1 Start program
 As standalone program (run executable file directly)
 From HydroD (see picture below)

1. Choose User controlled surface meshing and press settings

• When HydroMesh is started from HydroD, the free surface data will automatically
be read in and shown in the operating area.

• Click the ”Zoom to fit” button to fit the free surface in the operating area.
• The total mesh radius can be changed in the control panel.
The default value is 5 vessel lengths.

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 Menu/buttons area

Operating area

Control panel

Property area

The way to improve the mesh is to split the free surface into patches of as
regular shape as possible. This is done by creating split lines.

When doing this you often need to zoom in an out several times. The most efficient
way to do this is to use the mouse wheel combined with panning using the RMB to
zoom in, and press F to zoom out. If you are close to an existing point HydroMesh will
snap to this point. This is indicated by a small circle.

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2.2 Create split line
• Select the ”Draw lines” button.
• Start at the outer domain. Every click by the LMB will create a point on the curve.
These points can be anywhere in the domain.
• Snap to points on the waterline as shown below.
• Stop at the other side of the outer domain and press Enter to finish the cut line.
This is then shown in green.

Snap to point

Press ”Enter”

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2.3 Create additional split lines as shown below

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 • To create the vertical cut line first make line that intersects both the horizontal
lines. This line will be divided into three lines by HydroMesh.
• Press the Select patch splitting curves button
• Select the upper line segment and delete it by using the Delete button on the
keyboard
• Delete the lower segment in the same way

Select line segment

Press ”Delete”

Same procedure for this segment

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2.4 Adjusting the split line ends
• Select a split line.
• Change the split line by dragging the end points by entering new X and Y
coordinates manually.
• Press Enter to perform the change.

Give point coordinates

OR

Drag the end point

Select the line

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2.5 Create the mesh
• Create the patch

• Select the patch

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 • Move the corners to the correct location using drag and drop

• Repeat for other corner

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 • Use Rotate patch button until you have a “nice” mesh

• Define number of elements in each direction

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2.6 Radial expansion
• Select the radial mesh side and give a stretch parameter (3 is fine in this case)

• Repeat for other radial direction

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 • Finally fine tune the mesh shape by dragging the handles for the Radial Control
Transformation Parameters

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2.7 Copy properties to another patch

• First create the lower patch

• Select lower patch

• Move the corners to the right place

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 • Select upper patch

• Press CTRL+C to copy properties

• Select lower patch
• Press CTRL+V to paste properties

• Use Rotate patch to get the correct mesh

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2.8 Repeat this process for all the other patches
• There are three different patch types that you need to define properties for
• Use Copy-Paste to create the mesh on patches of similar shape

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| Sesam Tutorial | HydroD V4.10 | www.dnvgl.com/software Page 18
2.9 Modify patches
• When you try to impose stretching on the middle patch you will find that this does
not work.
• This can be handled by changing the patches.
• Instead of the vertical split line in the middle put two vertical split lines as shown
below.

• The new middle patch can be meshed as shown

• Use default setting for sretching (i.e. no stretching) and Poisson

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2.10 Mesh the remaining shape

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 • Use Copy-Paste and Rotate patch to get the mesh on the remaining patches

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2.11 Close-up view of the mesh

• Exit HydroMesh (actually HydroMeshSetup) – answer Yes to the question about

saving mesh setting
• In HydroD press OK or Apply in the Mesh dialogue
o This runs HydroMesh which is the program that actually creates the mesh
o The mesh is now displayed in HydroD (see next page)

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2.12 The mesh displyed in HydroD

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