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How to modify element type in comsol 4.0?

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I used weak-from PDE a lot for custom physics simulation purpose. In comsol 3.5a, you can set the element shape function type and its order or even specify discontinuous element type in 'Element' tab easily. But it seems that in the new version of comsol 4.0, there is a radical change to the user interface and modelling process, and I could'nt find the way to change these settings. Anybody out there who is using the latest version 4.0 enlightens me on how to do so?

6 Replies Last Post Jul 8, 2013, 1:47 p.m. EDT
Ivar KJELBERG COMSOL Multiphysics(r) fan, retired, former "Senior Expert" at CSEM SA (CH)

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Posted: 1 decade ago May 24, 2010, 11:21 a.m. EDT
Hi

I'm fighting too with the weak form in V4, but I understand from the "release notes" that the Weak form is not yet fully implemented, (i.e. in 2D I cannot get it to understand that I have two dependent variables, it only shows me one field).

For the element types, I understand it's now called "discretization" , and is under the main physics tabs, but you also have the "shape functions" for some items

Hope this helps on the way
Ivar
Hi I'm fighting too with the weak form in V4, but I understand from the "release notes" that the Weak form is not yet fully implemented, (i.e. in 2D I cannot get it to understand that I have two dependent variables, it only shows me one field). For the element types, I understand it's now called "discretization" , and is under the main physics tabs, but you also have the "shape functions" for some items Hope this helps on the way Ivar

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Posted: 1 decade ago May 24, 2010, 11:46 p.m. EDT
Yes. You can modify the element order under discretization tab. But there is simply no way of changing the order of element for each dependent variable ( such as shlag(u,2) and shlag(v,3) or shdis(w,2) ) and also changing specific element type such as bubble element (shbub) or discontinuous (shdis)element. The hermite and agris element type seems to be missing from the list. I just hope the developers do not take out this important feature that is available in previous release of COMSOL. A bit frustrarting as i could not do much work with it now as i rely a lot on weak form PDE module to do custom physics simulations.
Yes. You can modify the element order under discretization tab. But there is simply no way of changing the order of element for each dependent variable ( such as shlag(u,2) and shlag(v,3) or shdis(w,2) ) and also changing specific element type such as bubble element (shbub) or discontinuous (shdis)element. The hermite and agris element type seems to be missing from the list. I just hope the developers do not take out this important feature that is available in previous release of COMSOL. A bit frustrarting as i could not do much work with it now as i rely a lot on weak form PDE module to do custom physics simulations.

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Posted: 1 decade ago Jun 29, 2010, 9:48 p.m. EDT
I'm having a similar problem. I'm seeing suspicious looking checkerboard patterns in a Navier-Stokes solution which I suspect to be caused by quadratic velocities *and* quadratic pressures - which violates infsup condition.

I wonder if there is some way of "tricking" COMSOL. E.g., create a physics module with order=1 pressures and force the order=2 pressures to get replaced by the order=1 values?!

[***EDIT****] Ignore at least some of the above. There is a function "shapeorder", so you can plot, say, shapeorder(u) and shapeorder(w) and see that in fact COMSOL does correctly pick shapeorder(p) to be one order lower.
I'm having a similar problem. I'm seeing suspicious looking checkerboard patterns in a Navier-Stokes solution which I suspect to be caused by quadratic velocities *and* quadratic pressures - which violates infsup condition. I wonder if there is some way of "tricking" COMSOL. E.g., create a physics module with order=1 pressures and force the order=2 pressures to get replaced by the order=1 values?! [***EDIT****] Ignore at least some of the above. There is a function "shapeorder", so you can plot, say, shapeorder(u) and shapeorder(w) and see that in fact COMSOL does correctly pick shapeorder(p) to be one order lower.

Ivar KJELBERG COMSOL Multiphysics(r) fan, retired, former "Senior Expert" at CSEM SA (CH)

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Posted: 1 decade ago Jun 30, 2010, 1:48 a.m. EDT
Hi

I would suggest that you ask directly support

And report back here as it's of general interest for us others too ;)

Ivar
Hi I would suggest that you ask directly support And report back here as it's of general interest for us others too ;) Ivar

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Posted: 1 decade ago May 20, 2011, 12:55 p.m. EDT

Hi

I'm fighting too with the weak form in V4, but I understand from the "release notes" that the Weak form is not yet fully implemented, (i.e. in 2D I cannot get it to understand that I have two dependent variables, it only shows me one field).

For the element types, I understand it's now called "discretization" , and is under the main physics tabs, but you also have the "shape functions" for some items

Hope this helps on the way
Ivar


Can you tell me where I can find this "main physics tab" which should contain the "discretization" entry?

[QUOTE] Hi I'm fighting too with the weak form in V4, but I understand from the "release notes" that the Weak form is not yet fully implemented, (i.e. in 2D I cannot get it to understand that I have two dependent variables, it only shows me one field). For the element types, I understand it's now called "discretization" , and is under the main physics tabs, but you also have the "shape functions" for some items Hope this helps on the way Ivar [/QUOTE] Can you tell me where I can find this "main physics tab" which should contain the "discretization" entry?

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Posted: 1 decade ago Jul 8, 2013, 1:47 p.m. EDT
Hi.

In COMSOL 4.3 you can change the element type by clicking on the model (model builder tree to the left). Then, under model settings you find the option "Geometry shape order". With this option you can set the element type for your entire model.

Cheers.
Hi. In COMSOL 4.3 you can change the element type by clicking on the model (model builder tree to the left). Then, under model settings you find the option "Geometry shape order". With this option you can set the element type for your entire model. Cheers.

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