Tutorial 2.04
The next three demos show users how to create a transport domain shown below and to discretize it into finite elements. The problem is again divided into three parts. We first create the transport domain, then add lines at the surface that will help us in the next step to discretize the transport domain into finite elements, after which we implement the finite element discretization.
Solid 2 - Demo1
This demo starts again from the very beginning and creates the following object that has everywhere the same width (in the y-direction), but it is raised on one side. 
Video (12 MB) - Download
- We first create a New Project Test2
- In the Geometry Information dialog window we define the Type of Geometry (3D Layered) and Domain Definition (General)
- We next specify that the Work Plane is in the x-z coordinate plane, and select the In Y-direction view of this work plane (i.e., from the front). Note that the Base Surface defining the transport domain in this application is in the vertical plane (not in the horizontal plane as in most of our applications).
- Next, let us define the boundaries of the base surface using the Line – Abscissa command (from the Tools Sidebar). We first define the line representing the soil surface and then the furrow on the right side. We use command Line Intersection to precisely define the boundary.
- We now define Surface by Boundaries. This action tells the software that the object in the Work-plane represents the front surface of the transport domain. After clicking on the boundary, a dashed line appears again inside of the object, indicating that the Surface was created.
- Next we add the third dimension using the commands Thickness Vector and In Y-direction (1000 cm). By selecting the entire surface, this action will add thickness vectors to all nodes of the surface. Now we use the command Solid – Extruded to create the 3D transport domain.
- The demo next shows again various types of transport domain manipulations.
- Let us now raise one side of the domain by 100 cm using the command Move and Copy.
- The demo shows again various types of domain manipulations.
Solid 2 - Demo2
This demo starts with the transport domain created in the previous step and adds lines at the surface to facilitate discretization of the transport domain into finite elements. 
Video (10 MB) - Download
- First we rotate the transport domain so that we face the x-z plane in the direction of the y-axis (command View->View in Direction->In Y-direction).
- Next we set the XZ-Work Plane (from the toolbar) and select Perspective View (also from the toolbar or from View->Perspective).
- From the Tools Sidebar, we now select the command Line – Abscissa and create two lines on the front surface.
- From the Tools Sidebar we select the command Line – Intersection and, using the command Select by Rhomboid, select the domain with the two lines and the side surface. The nodes where the two lines cross the side surface are found and highlighted. We next remove parts of lines that are outside of the side surface.
- Finally, we select the XY-Work Plane (from the toolbar).
Solid 2 - Demo3
In this demo we start with the transport domain created in the previous step and generate the finite element mesh
Video (12 MB) - Download
- From the toolbar, we select the View/Edit FE Mesh command (or View->FE Mesh). The program will display the transport domain with boundary curves divided into small abscissas.
- Then from the Tools Sidebar we select the command FE-Mesh Parameters (or Edit->FE-Mesh->FE-Mesh Parameters) that will bring the FE-Mesh Parameters dialog. From this dialog we select Automatic Targeted FE Size (which for this application is 35 cm).
- Then from the Tools Sidebar we select the command Insert Mesh Refinement (or Insert->FE-Mesh Refinement->Dialog) and change the Finite Element Size to 15 cm. We now need to specify at which nodes this refinement is implemented by selecting all nodes except those at the bottom surface.
- We next generate the finite element mesh by clicking on the Generate FE-Mesh command at the Tools Sidebar (or Edit->FE-Mesh->Generate FE-Mesh).
- When the FE-Mesh is generated the FE-Mesh Information dialog provides statistics about the FE-Mesh (i.e., number of nodes, and 1D, 2D, and 3D elements).
- Next we change the view to Full Model using the toolbar command Model View Commands->Full Model.