diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index a09ae4766..3292e9cf6 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -61,17 +61,21 @@ add_library(MATH OBJECT "math.f90")
 add_dependencies(MATH FEsolving)
 list(APPEND OBJECTFILES $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MATH>)
 
+add_library(MESH_BASE OBJECT "mesh_base.f90")
+add_dependencies(MESH_BASE MATH)
+list(APPEND OBJECTFILES $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MESH_BASE>)
+
 # SPECTRAL solver and FEM solver use different mesh files
 if (PROJECT_NAME STREQUAL "DAMASK_spectral")
       add_library(MESH OBJECT "mesh_grid.f90")
-      add_dependencies(MESH MATH ELEMENT)
+      add_dependencies(MESH MATH)
       list(APPEND OBJECTFILES $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MESH>)
 elseif (PROJECT_NAME STREQUAL "DAMASK_FEM")
       add_library(FEZoo OBJECT "FEM_zoo.f90")
       add_dependencies(FEZoo MATH)
       list(APPEND OBJECTFILES $<TARGET_OBJECTS:FEZoo>)
       add_library(MESH  OBJECT "mesh_FEM.f90")
-      add_dependencies(MESH FEZoo ELEMENT)
+      add_dependencies(MESH FEZoo)
       list(APPEND OBJECTFILES $<TARGET_OBJECTS:MESH>)
 endif()
 
diff --git a/src/mesh_base.f90 b/src/mesh_base.f90
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..477fc3aed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mesh_base.f90
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+!> @author Franz Roters, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH
+!> @author Philip Eisenlohr, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH
+!> @author Christoph Koords, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH
+!> @author Martin Diehl, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH
+!> @brief Sets up the mesh for the solvers MSC.Marc,FEM, Abaqus and the spectral solver
+!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+module mesh_base
+
+ use, intrinsic :: iso_c_binding
+ use prec, only: &
+   pStringLen, &
+   pReal, &
+   pInt
+ use element, only: &
+   tElement
+
+  implicit none
+
+!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+!> Properties of a the whole mesh (consisting of one type of elements)
+!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ type, public :: tMesh
+   type(tElement) :: &
+     elem
+   real(pReal), dimension(:,:), allocatable, public :: &
+     ipVolume, &                                                                                 !< volume associated with each IP (initially!)
+     node0, &                                                                                    !< node x,y,z coordinates (initially)
+     node                                                                                        !< node x,y,z coordinates (deformed)
+   integer(pInt), dimension(:,:), allocatable, public :: &    
+     cellnodeParent                                                                               !< cellnode's parent element ID, cellnode's intra-element ID 
+   character(pStringLen) :: solver = "undefined"
+   integer(pInt)         :: &
+     Nnodes, &                                                                                   !< total number of nodes in mesh
+     Nelems = -1_pInt, &
+     elemType, &
+     Ncells, &
+     nIPneighbors, &
+     NcellNodes, &
+     maxElemsPerNode
+   integer(pInt), dimension(:), allocatable, public :: &
+     homogenizationAt, &
+     microstructureAt
+   integer(pInt), dimension(:,:), allocatable, public :: &
+     connectivity
+ end type tMesh
+
+end module mesh_base