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  1. We'll copy parts of AEFG to create the sub-section ABCD. (When we copy areas, the associated mesh is also copied.)
  2. We'll copy sub-section ABCD in both directions to generate the mesh for the entire structure. Clever move, eh?

    In sub-section AEFG above, the stiffeners cross each other at F. Modeling this correctly is tricky, so indulge me while I explain how we are going to proceed. At the end of the geometry step, the isometric view of AEFG will look as below, with the keypoint and area numbers turned on (different colors refer to different areas). If the stiffeners share keypoints 3,5 and 9, the stiffener crossing is modeled correctly and a load applied to one stiffener will be transferred appropriately to the other one. To this end, we will divide the horizontal stiffener into two areas (A3, A4). This will also yield a regular mesh as we'll see in the meshing step.

    Note that the horizontal stiffener has to be split into two areas A3 and A4 because it has a larger width than the vertical stiffener. Instead, if the vertical stiffener is the wider one, it'd be the one that you'd have to split into two areas. This would change the topology of the model; something to keep in mind when you vary the stiffener dimensions in optimization studies.

    Keypoints Coordinates

Using the figure in the problem specification and the one above, create a table of the keypoint coordinates required to create areas A1-A4, using the parameters defined in Step 1. Recall that areas correspond to the mid-surface of the structure. Are my keypoint coordinates below correct? || No. || x || y || z ||

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