Isogeometric Transfinite Elements: A Unified B-Spline Framework for Arbitrary Node Layouts

This paper presents a unified framework for constructing partially unstructured B-spline transfinite finite elements with arbitrary nodal distributions. Three novel distinct classes of elements are investigated and compared with older single Coons-patch elements. The first consists of classical transfinite elements reformulated using B-spline basis functions. The second includes elements defined by arbitrary control point networks arranged in parallel layers along one direction. The third features arbitrarily placed boundary nodes combined with a tensor-product structure in the interior. For all three classes, novel macro-element formulations are introduced, enabling flexible and customizable nodal configurations while preserving the partition of unity property. The key innovation lies in reinterpreting the generalized coefficients as discrete samples of an underlying continuous univariate function, which is independently approximated at each station in the transfinite element. This perspective generalizes the classical transfinite interpolation by allowing both the blending functions and the univariate trial functions to be defined using non-cardinal bases such as Bernstein polynomials or B-splines, offering enhanced adaptability for complex geometries and nonuniform node layouts.