The future of finite element applications on massively parallel supercomputers
The current focus in large scale scientific computing is upon parallel supercomputers. While still relatively unproven, these machines are being slated for production-oriented, general purpose supercomputing applications. The promise, of course, is to use massively parallel computers to venture further into scientific realisms by performing computations with anywhere from 10{sup 6} to 10{sup 9} grid points thereby, in principle, obtaining a deeper understanding of physical processes. In approaching this brave new world of computing with finite element applications, many technical issues become apparent. This paper attempts to reveal some of the applications-oriented issues which are facing code developers and ultimately the users of engineering and scientific applications on parallel supercomputers, but which seem to be remaining unanswered by vendors, researchers and centralized computing facilities. At risk is the fundamental way in which analysis is performed in a production sense, and the insight into physical problems which results. while at first this treatise may seem to advocate traditional register-to-register vector supercomputers, the goal of this paper is simply an attempt to point out what is missing from the massively parallel computing picture not only for production finite element applications, but also for grand challenge problems. the limiting issues for the use of FEM applications on parallel supercomputers are centered about the need for adequate disk space, archival storage, high bandwidth networks, and continued software development for mesh generation, scientific visualization, linear equation solvers and parallel input/output.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 61206
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-118354; ON: DE95011659; TRN: AHC29516%%142
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 5 Jul 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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