GiD user manual : Assign size to points

  • Select Mesh->Unstructured->Assign size on points . A window appears in which to enter the element size around the points to be chosen. Enter 0.1 and click Assign .
  • Select the point indicated in the figure. Press <Esc> 4 to indicate that the selection of points is finished, and Close the window.
  • Select Mesh->Generate mesh .
  • A window opens asking whether the previous mesh should be eliminated. Click Yes .
  • GiD then asks you to enter the general maximum element size. Leave the default value unaltered and click OK .
  • Click View mesh in the pop up window to see the result.


    Geometry of the model. The point around which the mesh will be concentrated.


    The mesh with a concentration of elements around the point.

  • A concentration of elements appears around the chosen point, given the selected size (0.1) of these elements.


One can control the way the size of the elements changes from a finer to a coarser region:

  • Go to Utilities and open Preferences window.In the Meshing - General branch there is the option Size transitions . This option defines the transition gradient of element sizes (size gradient), whose values are between 0 and 1. The greater the size gradient is, the sharper change of sizes in space. To test this, enter the value 0.4 and click Accept .
  • Again, generate the mesh (Mesh->Generate mesh ) with the same general mesh size.

Mesh with the elements concentrated around a point, with a size gradient of 0.4.

  • The size gradient (0.4) results in a higher density around the point (see figure).
  • Now go back and enter 0.6 in Size transitions . This will result in a mesh more suitable for our objectives. Click Accept .



4 Instead of pressing the <Esc> key, the center mouse button or the mouse wheel can also be used.