In
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics, sometimes called Computer-generated imagery, CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional Computer-generated imagery, computer graphics, are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian coor ...
and
modeling, a volumetric mesh is a
polyhedral representation of the interior region of an object. It is unlike
polygon mesh
In 3D computer graphics and solid modeling, a polygon mesh is a collection of , s and s that defines the shape of a polyhedron, polyhedral object's surface. It simplifies Rendering (computer graphics), rendering, as in a wire-frame model. The fac ...
es, which represent only the
surface
A surface, as the term is most generally used, is the outermost or uppermost layer of a physical object or space. It is the portion or region of the object that can first be perceived by an observer using the senses of sight and touch, and is ...
as polygons.
Applications
One application of volumetric meshes is in
finite element analysis
Finite element method (FEM) is a popular method for numerically solving differential equations arising in engineering and mathematical models, mathematical modeling. Typical problem areas of interest include the traditional fields of structural ...
, which may use regular or irregular volumetric meshes to compute internal stresses and forces in an object throughout the entire volume of the object.
Volume meshes may also be used for
portal rendering
In computer-generated imagery and real-time 3D computer graphics, portal rendering is an algorithm for visibility determination. For example, consider a 3D computer game environment, which may contain many polygons, only a few of which may be v ...
.
See also
*
B-rep
*
Voxels
*
Hypergraph
In mathematics, a hypergraph is a generalization of a Graph (discrete mathematics), graph in which an graph theory, edge can join any number of vertex (graph theory), vertices. In contrast, in an ordinary graph, an edge connects exactly two vert ...
*
Volume rendering
In scientific visualization and computer graphics, volume rendering is a set of techniques used to display a 2D projection of a 3D discretely sampled data set, typically a 3D scalar field.
A typical 3D data set is a group of 2D slice image ...
References
3D computer graphics
Computer graphics data structures
Mesh generation
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