3-D Finite Element Mesh Optimization Based on a Bacterial Chemotaxis Algorithm

An approach based on a bacterial chemotaxis algorithm dedicated to the 3-D finite element mesh optimization is presented. By starting from an assigned mesh, the 'bacterial chemotaxis algorithm' modifies the initial configuration by changing the spatial coordinates of specific mesh nodes (or possibly by canceling them) while all node connections are kept fixed. This approach guarantees an appreciable reduction of the number of elements preserving a high quality of the mesh. This is a fundamental rule for reducing computational costs and preserving the accuracy of the numerical results. The approach has been validated on the meshing of a 3-D Helix structure of a TWT.