As computing hardware evolves, increasing core counts mean that memory bandwidth is becoming the deciding factor in attaining peak performance of numerical methods. High-order finite element methods, such as those implemented in the spectral/hp framework Nektar++, are particularly well-suited to this environment. Unlike low-order methods that typically utilise sparse storage, matrices representing high-order operators have […]

A hybrid parallelisation technique for distributed memory systems is investigated for a coupled Fourier-\spectralhp element discretisation of domains characterised by geometric homogeneity in one or more directions. The performance of the approach is mathematically modelled in terms of operation count and communication costs for identifying the most efficient parameter choices. The model is calibrated to […]

Nektar++ is an open-source software framework designed to support the development of high-performance scalable solvers for partial differential equations using the spectral/hp element method. High-order methods are gaining prominence in several engineering and biomedical applications due to their improved accuracy over low-order techniques at reduced computational cost for a given number of degrees of freedom. […]

Spectral/hp element methods and an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) moving-boundary technique are used to investigate planar Newtonian extrudate swell. Newtonian extrudate swell arises when viscous liquids exit long die slits. The problem is characterised by a stress singularity at the end of the slit which is inherently difficult to capture and strongly influences the predicted swelling […]

We present a numerical discretisation of an embedded two-dimensional manifold using high-order continuous Galerkin spectral/hp elements, which provide exponential convergence of the solution with increasing polynomial order, while retaining geometric flexibility in the representation of the domain. Our work is motivated by applications in cardiac electrophysiology where sharp gradients in the solution benefit from the […]

We demonstrate that radically differing implementations of finite element methods (FEMs) are needed on multi-core (CPU) and many-core (GPU) architectures, if their respective performance potential is to be realised. Our numerical investigations using a finite element advection–diffusion solver show that increased performance on each architecture can only be achieved by committing to specific and diverse […]

A spectral/hp element discretisation permits both geometric flexibility and beneficial convergence properties to be attained simultaneously. The choice of elemental polynomial order has a profound effect on the efficiency of different implementation strategies with their performance varying substantially for low and high order spectral/hp discretisations. We examine how careful selection of the strategy minimises computational […]