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faceNormal

Triangulation unit normal vectors

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Syntax

F = faceNormal(TR)
F = faceNormal(TR,ID)

Description

F = faceNormal(TR) returns the unit normal vectors to all triangles in a 2-D triangulation. The faceNormal function supports 2-D triangulations only. F is a three-column matrix where each row contains the unit normal coordinates corresponding to a triangle in TR.ConnectivityList.

F = faceNormal(TR,ID) returns the unit normal vector to each triangle indexed by ID. The identification numbers of the triangles in TR are the corresponding row numbers of the property TR.ConnectivityList.

example

Examples

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Open Live Script

Compute and plot the unit normal vectors to the facets of a triangulation on a spherical surface.

Create a set of points on a spherical surface. 

rng default;
theta = rand([100,1])*2*pi;
phi = rand([100,1])*pi;
x = cos(theta).*sin(phi);
y = sin(theta).*sin(phi);
z = cos(phi);

Triangulate the sphere using the delaunayTriangulation function. 

DT = delaunayTriangulation(x,y,z);

Find the free boundary facets of the triangulation, and use them to create a 2-D triangulation on the surface. 

[T,Xb] = freeBoundary(DT);
TR = triangulation(T,Xb);

Compute the centers and face normals of each triangular facet in TR.

P = incenter(TR);
F = faceNormal(TR);

Plot the triangulation along with the centers and face normals.

trisurf(T,Xb(:,1),Xb(:,2),Xb(:,3), ...
     'FaceColor','cyan','FaceAlpha',0.8);
axis equal
hold on  
quiver3(P(:,1),P(:,2),P(:,3), ...
     F(:,1),F(:,2),F(:,3),0.5,'color','r');

Figure contains an axes object. The axes object contains 2 objects of type patch, quiver.

Input Arguments

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Triangulation representation for 2-D triangulations only, specified as a scalar triangulation or delaunayTriangulation object.

Data Types: triangulation | delaunayTriangulation

Triangle identification, specified as a scalar or a column vector whose elements each correspond to a single triangle in the triangulation object. The identification number of each triangle is the corresponding row number of the ConnectivityList property.

Data Types: double

Extended Capabilities

Thread-Based Environment
Run code in the background using MATLAB® backgroundPool or accelerate code with Parallel Computing Toolbox™ ThreadPool.

Version History

Introduced in R2013a

See Also

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