A three-dimensional parametric mesher with surface boundary-layer capability

A novel parametric surface meshing technique is presented. Its distinctive feature relies on successive approximations of the CAD geometry through a hierarchical process where geometric information is gathered incrementally. A detailed review of zero- and first-order surface approximations and their impact on parametric surface meshing algorithms is performed. The proposed approach emphasizes the use of three-dimensional information in order to be as independent as possible of the parametrization to overcome limitations of meshing purely in the parametric plane. The presented technique includes semi-structured boundary-layer surface mesh generation which is a critical capability for accurate solutions to flows around geometries that have leading edge features. Numerous examples illustrate the method's robustness and ability to high-quality meshes for complex CAD geometries.