DATE: Wednesday, November 10, 1999
TIME: NOON
PLACE: 2240 DCL

The Finite-Element Interface: Separating the Mechanics from the
Algebra in Engineering Analysis

One of the most difficult tasks in high-performance implicit finite-element computation is that of parallelizing the solution of the finite-element equation set. The Finite-Element Interface (FEI) specification is an ASCI-funded effort that allows finite-element developers to offload (to a virtual algebra server) the onerous tasks associated with finite-element matrix allocation, assembly, and solution. In short, this interface is designed to let finite-element developers concentrate on mechanics while computational algebraists worry about the details of scalable linear algebra components. The resulting FEI implementation facilitates the development of portable and scalable high-performance finite-element applications. This talk will highlight the design goals, theory, abstractions, and implementation of this portable implicit finite-element interface.