3-D geometric modeling for finite element analysis using MATLAB® C programming

Abstract

Most finite element analysts in Nigeria develop own codes for their analysis due to inability to purchase commercial finite element analysis software packages that come with GUI geometric modelers and difficulty in managing coordinate data from imported CAD files. General purpose computer-aided design software packages are good drafting tools but do not have imbedded facilities to carry out finite element analyses of descretized (mesh) models. This paper demostrates how MATLAB® programming language can be used to generate 3-D geometric models suitable for finite element anaylsis. In this work, model of a water storage tanker was drawn using AutoCAD®, and then the same model was generated using MATLAB®. The results showed that MATLAB® can be used to obtain meshed and surface model suitable for finite element analysis.