Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An explicit asynchronous step parallel computing method for finite element analysis on multi-core clusters

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Engineering with Computers Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The finite element analysis of complex structure often requires a refine mesh in some local domain. To reduce the computation time, an explicit asynchronous step parallel computing method is proposed. The domain decomposition with overlapping node method is used to divide the model into different subdomains. The multiple overlapping nodes between different subdomains constitute the coupling region. Each subdomain selects the time step based on the mesh characteristics. The subcycling method is adopted to tackle the matching of asynchronous step boundary. The subdomain model, boundary information and calculation results are stored in parallel files which mean the overall finite element analysis process is implemented in parallel. The validity and efficiency of the proposed method are verified through three simulation cases which conducted on Tianhe 2 multi-core supercomputers. The results of simulation cases show that the proposed method has a higher accuracy than classic subcycling method under the same time step. The total speedup of the algorithm relates to the step ratios between subdomains, the number of subdomain and the load balance. This approach offers an efficient way to solve large-scale and super-scale structural dynamics analysis with local refine mesh.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Krysl P, Bittnar Z (2001) Parallel explicit finite element solid dynamics with domain decomposition and message passing: dual partitioning scalability. Comput Struct 79(3):345–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Hughes TJR (2012) The finite element method: linear static and dynamic finite element analysis. Courier Corporation, North Chelmsford

    Google Scholar 

  3. Vanderbauwhede W, Takemi T (2016) An analysis of the feasibility and benefits of GPU/multicore acceleration of the Weather Research and Forecasting model. Concurr Comput Pract Exp 28(7):2052–2072

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhang J, Sha C, Wu Y et al (2017) The novel implicit LU-SGS parallel iterative method based on the diffusion equation of a nuclear reactor on a GPU cluster. Comput Phys Commun 211:16–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Porth O, Xia C, Hendrix T et al (2014) MPI-AMRVAC for solar and astrophysics. Astrophys J Suppl Ser 214(1):4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Cheng Z, Shaffer E, Yeh R et al (2017) Efficient parallel optimization of volume meshes on heterogeneous computing systems. Eng Comput 33(4):717–726

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Cai Y, Li G, Liu W (2018) Parallelized implementation of an explicit finite element method in many integrated core (MIC) architecture. Adv Eng Softw 116:50–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Das R (2017) GPUs in subsurface simulation: an investigation. Eng Comput 33(4):919–934

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. Toselli A, Widlund OB (2005) Domain decomposition methods: algorithms and theory. Springer, Berlin

    Book  Google Scholar 

  10. Ghanem A, Torkhani M, Mahjoubi N, et al (2013) Arlequin framework for multi-model, multi-time scale and heterogeneous time integrators for structural transient dynamics. Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 254:292–308

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. Farhat C, Roux FX (1991) A method of finite element tearing and interconnecting and its parallel solution algorithm. Int J Numer Method Eng 32(6):1205–1227

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. Gosselet P, Rixen D, Roux FX et al (2015) Simultaneous FETI and block FETI: robust domain decomposition with multiple search directions. Int J Numer Method Eng 104(10):905–927

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  13. Rheinbach O (2009) Parallel iterative substructuring in structural mechanics. Arch Comput Methods Eng 16(4):425–463

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  14. Singh H (2013) Relative study of solvers for finite element analysis. Int J Comput Technol 4(2):363–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Li R, Xi Y, Saad Y (2016) Schur complement-based domain decomposition preconditioners with low-rank corrections. Numer Linear Algebra Appl 23(4):706–729

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. Rao ARM (2006) Explicit nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis homogeneous/heterogeneous parallel computing environment. Adv Eng Softw 37(11):701–720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Belyschko T, Lu YY (1993) Explicit multi-time step integration for first and second order finite element semidiscretizations. Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 108(3–4):353–383

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  18. Smolinski P (1992) An explicit multi-time step integration method for second order equations. Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 94(1):25–34

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  19. Daniel WJT (2003) A partial velocity approach to subcycling structural dynamics. Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 192(3):375–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Daniel WJT (1997) Analysis and implementation of a new constant acceleration subcycling algorithm. Int J Numer Method Eng 40(15):2841–2855

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Karimis S, Nakshatrala KB (2014) On multi-time-step monolithic coupling algorithms for elastodynamics. J Comput Phys 273:671–705

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  22. Badia S, Martín AF, Principe J (2015) On the scalability of inexact balancing domain decomposition by constraints with overlapped coarse/fine corrections. Parallel Comput 50:1–24

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  23. Biesiadecki JJ, Skeel RD (1993) Dangers of multiple time step methods. J Comput Phys 109(2):318–328

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  24. Subber W, Matous K (2017) Asynchronous space–time domain decomposition method with localized uncertainty quantification. Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 325:369–394

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  25. Petropoulos G, Fenves GL (2010) Interprocessor communication for high performance, explicit time integration. Eng Comput 26(2):149–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Karypis G (2011) METIS and ParMETIS, vol 2011. Springer US, Encyclopedia of parallel computing, New York, pp 1117–1124

    Google Scholar 

  27. Chopra AK (2007) Dynamics of structures: theory and applications to earthquake engineering. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River

    Google Scholar 

  28. Massoni J, Biamino L, Jourdan G et al (2017) Experimental and numerical investigation of blast wave interaction with a three level building. J Fluids Eng 139(11):111106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Belytschko T, Gilbertsen ND (1992) Implementation of mixed time integration techniques on a vectorized computer with shared memory. Int J Numer Methods Eng 35(9):1803–1828

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The project is supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFB0201800) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11772192 and 51475287). Thanks to the Guangzhou Supercomputing Center for providing part of the free computational time on Tianhe 2.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Zhiqiang Ma, Yunfeng Lou, Junjie Li & Xianlong Jin

  2. State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Zhiqiang Ma, Yunfeng Lou, Junjie Li & Xianlong Jin

Authors
  1. Zhiqiang Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yunfeng Lou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Junjie Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xianlong Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xianlong Jin.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ma, Z., Lou, Y., Li, J. et al. An explicit asynchronous step parallel computing method for finite element analysis on multi-core clusters. Engineering with Computers 36, 443–453 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-019-00704-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-019-00704-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation