[Gmsh] outward normal of surface triangles

[Negi, Ashish]

Yes, this will solve the problem provided I have tetrahedral elements available for given Triangle. I wanted to know if GMSH provides some way to get outward normal without me finding its corresponding volume element. I haven't found anything like that in their code till now. I should better use method given by you.

Thanks a bunch,
Ashish

From: Ashish Garg [mailto:ashish.garg.iisc at gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 1:59 PM
To: Mark Starnes
Cc: Negi, Ashish; gmsh at geuz.org
Subject: Re: [Gmsh] outward normal of surface triangles

Hello Ashish,

Ya got your problem.

See you know all tetrahedra at the boundary surfaces. It means  u know all the vertex of the tetrahedra ( out of four vertex three r makin boundary faces right ) .

try this

      v0 = face[i].vertex[0];
      v1 = face[i].vertex[1];
      v2 = face[i].vertex[2];

      r01 = vertex[v1] - vertex[v0];
      r12 = vertex[v2] - vertex[v1];

      face[i].normal = (r01 X r12);

      // Check orientation of normal
      fourth_vertex        =  face[i].vertex[3]
      check_normal_orientation = face[i].normal * ( fourth_vertex- vertex[v0]);

      if ( check_normal_orientation > 0.0 )
          face[i].normal *=  -1.0 ;

this will resolve your problem for sure.

regards

Ashish  Garg
TIFR-CAM, Bangalore
On Thu, May 3, 2012 at 1:22 PM, Mark Starnes <mark.starnes at fttech.co.uk<mailto:mark.starnes at fttech.co.uk>> wrote:
Hi Ashish,

Does it help if you change the sign of every line entry number
in the Plane Surface definition that is a problem?

Best regards,

Mark.

On Thu, May 03, 2012 at 06:23:34AM +0000, Negi, Ashish wrote:
> Hi Ashish,
>
>
>
> Thanks for replying.
>
>
>
> Let me explain my problem again. I have attached 3 pictures below. First, shows
> a Tetrahedral mesh of square duct. So, all surface elements are Triangle.
> Second, shows normal vectors computed using cross product if Triangle vertices
> are saved in clockwise sense (in the picture). Third, shows normal vector
> computed if Triangle vertices are saved in anti-clockwise sense. So, second
> picture gives me outward normal which I need.
>
>
>
> I found that all Triangles do not give me outward normals if I assume clockwise
> sense (in following picture). So, I wanted to know if GMSH has some other way
> to provide me outward normal for each surface Triangle.
>
> [cid]   [cid]
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ashish
>
>
>
> From: Ashish Garg [mailto:ashish.garg.iisc at gmail.com<mailto:ashish.garg.iisc at gmail.com>]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 1:09 PM
> To: Negi, Ashish
> Cc: gmsh at geuz.org<mailto:gmsh at geuz.org>
> Subject: Re: [Gmsh] outward normal of surface triangles
>
>
>
> Hi Ashish
>
> give the condition that the cross product should be greater than zero. I guess
> it will resolve the problem.
>
> Ashish Garg
>
> On Wed, May 2, 2012 at 12:38 PM, Negi, Ashish <ashish.negi at honeywell.com<mailto:ashish.negi at honeywell.com>>
> wrote:
>
> Hello Everyone,
>
>
>
> I?ve been using GMSH library to open Nastran BDF file and extract mesh data for
> my software. I generally load a mesh consisting of only Tetrahedra. Hence,
> surface of model have only Triangle elements.
>
>
>
> I want to find outward normal at each Triangle. I get coordinates of each
> Triangle and then take cross product to get normal to the element. But, I?m not
> sure if it will always be outward. Can someone suggest a solution to this
> problem?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ashish
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>




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--
Dr. Mark Starnes
Principal Physicist
FT Technologies
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