Optimization of GeoFEM for High Performance Sequential Computer Architectures

In this research, we focus on improving the performance of GeoFEM on a single processor using a common data structure and coding approach in order to optimize GeoFEM for implementation on various computer architectures including parallel systems. A new data structure and direct access coding are developed for fluid analysis and they are implemented on scalar, vector, and pseudovector architectures. A 17% increase in peak performance is obtained on pseudovector and scalar architectures, and a 20% peak performance improvement is achieved on vector architecture. By applying a new direct access coding approach, the peak performance of the structure solver is increased by 23% on pseudovector architecture and 28% on vector architecture. Architecture-independent matrix assembly coding is developed and evaluated on vector and scalar machines. A performance of 736.8 flops is obtained for the matrix assembly process and 900.7 Mflops for the entire code on an NEC SX-4 supercomputer. An average of 2.06 Gflops performance is obtained on a Fujitsu VPP5000 (peak: 9.6 Gflops), and 124 Mflops is obtained for the matrix assembling process on a 533-MHz 21164 Alpha system. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.