Weighted Squared Volume Minimization (WSVM) for Generating Uniform Tetrahedral Meshes

Abstract

This paper presents a new algorithm, Weighted Squared Volume Minimization (WSVM), for generating high-quality tetrahedral meshes from closed triangle meshes. Drawing inspiration from the principle of minimal surfaces that minimize squared surface area, WSVM employs a new energy function integrating weighted squared volumes for tetrahedral elements. When minimized with constant weights, this energy promotes uniform volumes among the tetrahedra. Adjusting the weights to account for local geometry further achieves uniform dihedral angles within the mesh. The algorithm begins with an initial tetrahedral mesh generated via Delaunay tetrahedralization and proceeds by sequentially minimizing volume-oriented and then dihedral angle-oriented energies. At each stage, it alternates between optimizing vertex positions and refining mesh connectivity through the iterative process. The algorithm operates fully automatically and requires no parameter tuning. Evaluations on a variety of 3D models demonstrate that WSVM consistently produces tetrahedral meshes of higher quality, with fewer slivers and enhanced uniformity compared to existing methods. Check out further details at the project webpage: https://kaixinyu-hub.github.io/WSVM.github.io.