Convergence Concepts

Mesh convergence is the process of checking whether simulation results become stable as the mesh is refined. A converged solution should show small changes in key quantities of interest between successive mesh refinements.

Typical convergence quantities include:

• Maximum displacement.
• Reaction force balance.
• Average stress over an engineering region.
• Strain energy.
• Safety factor or derived performance metric.

Peak stress at sharp corners, point loads, or idealized constraints may not converge because such locations can produce singularities. In those cases, engineering interpretation should use averaged or path-based quantities away from singular points.