Introduction
The blockMesh utility is enclosed with OpenFOAM. It creates hexahedral multiblock meshes. A dictionary file blockMeshDict located in the system directory of a case has to be provided. This utility can be used to mesh simple geometries (cases of the contact tank and the raceway pond in this workshop). It also used to generate the background mesh necessary to use the more advanced mesher snappyHexMesh.
snappyHexMesh generates 3D meshes containing hexahedra and split-hexahedra. The input geometry has to prevoded by STL files (triangulated surface geometry in Stereolithography format). A dictionary file named snappyHexMeshDict located in the system directory and a triangulated surface geometry file located in the directory constant/triSurface have to provided.
The following sections describe in simplified way the usage of these two utilities (should be sufficient for this course!).