ETH Zürich Editors:

The Finite Element Method (FEM) has become an indispensable tool in computer graphics. Typical applications range from computer games, special effects and feature films to virtual surgery training simulators. In the field of geometric modeling, the FEM can help in creating realistic and physically plausible deformations with the user only having to specify a low number of constraints. Using the FEM to set up an equation of motion and integrating the equation in time, convincing animations of deformable objects can be produced that would be difficult to create manually. In this report, we present an FEM-based modeling approach, which produces a smooth deformation field through moving least-squares. To simulate cutting and fracturing of deformable objects, we further present two approaches for the animation of topological changes in the FEM mesh. As our methods are able to simulate arbitrary polyhedral elements, they can circumvent the cumbersome remeshing step that would otherwise be necessary when performing topological changes.