Optimal data structures for an efficient vectorized finite element code

Abstract

An efficient computation of large finite element method (FEM) problems using a vector computer requires a data structure being fundamentally different from that of existing commercial FEM-programs, which were designed for scalar computers. The FEM kernel is divided into three steps: computing element matrices, mounting the global system and solving the linear system of equations. We point out the optimal vectorizable data structures for the first and third FEM-step. So the mounting of the global system is a conversion between these two data structures. We present a fully vectorizable algorithm doing this conversion.