Detail-preserving simplification of textured mesh models for natural objects

Abstract The Quadric Error Metrics (QEM) algorithm is widely used for 3D mesh simplification, but it struggles with models containing discontinuous appearance attributes and often fails to preserve fine local details. To address these issues, we propose a textured mesh simplification method that incorporates multiple feature constraints. The approach introduces tailored edge collapse rules and a new error metric, the seam angle error, to handle discontinuous texture regions. In addition, vertex sharpness and texture complexity are employed to enhance the algorithm’s sensitivity to geometric and textural details. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively reduces texture distortion at seams. Specifically, at an 80% simplification rate, our method reduces the texture root mean square (RMS) error by approximately 78% compared to T-QEM. While this approach incurs a slight increase in global geometric error, it significantly preserves local visual details and texture continuity.