What does 'adaptive mesh refining' refer to?

Adaptive mesh refining refers to the process of dynamically adjusting the size of the mesh elements in a computational domain to enhance accuracy and efficiency in numerical simulations. This technique allows for a finer mesh in areas where there are steep gradients or complex phenomena, such as in fluid dynamics or stress concentration points, while maintaining a coarser mesh in regions with less variation.

The key benefit of adaptive mesh refining is that it optimizes computational resources by providing a tailored mesh that balances accuracy with computational cost. By focusing computational effort where it is most needed, adaptive mesh refining helps achieve more precise results without unnecessary calculations in less critical areas. This makes it an essential method in engineering analysis and computational modeling, ensuring that simulations yield reliable results while keeping processing times manageable.