CSE/CSAR Seminar

SPEAKER: Timothy J. Tautges, Sandia National Laboratories

TITLE: Geometry and Mesh Components for Component-Based Scientific Computing

DATE: Tuesday, November 1, 2005
TIME: 12:00 Noon
PLACE: 2240 DCL
1304 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana, IL

ABSTRACT

Component-based scientific computing is quickly becoming the norm for high-performance scientific computing, because this approach allows rapid incorporation of the latest technologies. Well-known examples include linear and non-linear algebra solvers (e.g. PETSC) and parallel I/O (e.g. HDF5). Components for CAD geometry and various meshing functions have been less common, and this has slowed the incorporation of advanced techniques like adaptive mesh refinement into simulation codes. To address this problem, the Terascale Simulation Tools and Technologies center, part of DOEs SciDAC program, has developed data models and functional interfaces for accessing geometry and meshes. Several institutions have developed implementations of these interfaces and demonstrated how they simplify incorporating advanced enabling technologies into applications. In this talk, I will describe Sandias CGM and MOAB components, which provide access to a CAD geometry and mesh, respectively. A higher-level component allowing association of a mesh with the geometry used to generate it will also be described. The talk will include examples of how these components are used in various applications, including parallel tetrahedral mesh generation and shape optimization.