Three-dimensional Bézier interpolation in solid modeling and grid generation Original Research Article

Bézier and B-spline patches are popular tools in surface modeling. With these methods, a surface is represented by the product of univariate approximations. The extension of this concept to three-dimensions is straightforward and can be applied to the problem of grid generation. This report will demonstrate how rational Bézier basis functions can be used to generate three-dimensional solids that can be used in solid modeling and in the generation of grids. Examples will be given demonstrating the ability to generated three-dimensional grids directly from a set of data points without having to first set up the boundary surfaces. Many geometric grid properties can be imposed by the proper choice of the control net, the weights, and the twist models.