diff --git a/MeshGeoToolsLib/CreateSearchLength.h b/MeshGeoToolsLib/CreateSearchLength.h
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/MeshGeoToolsLib/CreateSearchLength.h
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+/**
+ * @brief Functionality to build different search length algorithm objects from
+ * given config.
+ *
+ * @copyright
+ * Copyright (c) 2012-2017, OpenGeoSys Community (http://www.opengeosys.org)
+ *            Distributed under a Modified BSD License.
+ *              See accompanying file LICENSE.txt or
+ *              http://www.opengeosys.org/LICENSE.txt
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "BaseLib/ConfigTree.h"
+
+#include "MeshGeoToolsLib/HeuristicSearchLength.h"
+#include "MeshGeoToolsLib/SearchLength.h"
+
+namespace MeshGeoToolsLib
+{
+MeshGeoToolsLib::SearchLength createSearchLengthAlgorithm(
+    BaseLib::ConfigTree const& external_config, MeshLib::Mesh const& mesh)
+{
+    boost::optional<BaseLib::ConfigTree> config =
+        //! \ogs_file_param{prj__search_length_algorithm}
+        external_config.getConfigSubtreeOptional("search_length_algorithm");
+
+    if (!config)
+        return MeshGeoToolsLib::SearchLength();
+
+    //! \ogs_file_param{prj__search_length_algorithm__type}
+    std::string const type = config->getConfigParameter<std::string>("type");
+
+    if (type == "fixed")
+    {
+        //! \ogs_file_param{prj__search_length_algorithm__value}
+        double const length = config->getConfigParameter<double>("value");
+        return MeshGeoToolsLib::SearchLength(length);
+    }
+    if (type == "heuristic")
+    {
+        return MeshGeoToolsLib::HeuristicSearchLength(mesh);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        OGS_FATAL("Unknown search length algorithm type '%s'.", type.c_str());
+    }
+}
+
+}  // end namespace MeshGeoToolsLib