Implementation and performance of the large-scale finite element code SESAM on a wide range of scientific computers

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Int. J. Supercomput. Appl.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/109434208700100303· OSTI ID:5852009

Bjorstad, P E; Braekhus, J; Aldag, J

SESAM is a large, commercial finite element package for structural analysis that includes SESTRA, an analysis portion of approximately 280,000 lines of FORTRAN 77 statements. The authors discuss the issues of portability and efficiency in implementing this code on a wide range of computers, including the FPS-164, CRAY X-MP, CDC Cyber 205, Amdahl VP1200, IBM 3090/VF, and NEC SX-2. Performance data are related to the different architectures and the degree of code tuning. SESAM requires large amounts of direct access secondary storage. The use of FORTRAN I/O can significantly decrease performance, as measured by both CPU time and elapsed time. They discuss how different levels of I/O support on scientific computers affect the potentially large gap between CPU time and elapsed time.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Bergen, Bergen
• OSTI ID: 5852009
• Journal Information: Int. J. Supercomput. Appl.; (United States), Journal Name: Int. J. Supercomput. Appl.; (United States) Vol. 1:3; ISSN IJSAE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400201* -- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990210 -- Supercomputers-- (1987-1989)
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERS
CRAY COMPUTERS
DATA PROCESSING
EFFICIENCY
FINITE ELEMENT METHOD
FORTRAN
IBM COMPUTERS
MEMORY DEVICES
NEC COMPUTERS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PROCESSING
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES
S CODES
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS