Carlo Janna

A Block FSAI-ILU Parallel Preconditioner for Symmetric Positive Definite Linear Systems

A novel parallel preconditioner for symmetric positive definite matrices is developed coupling a generalized factored sparse approximate inverse (FSAI) with an incomplete LU (ILU) factorization. The generalized FSAI, called block FSAI, is derived by requiring the preconditioned matrix to resemble a block-diagonal matrix in the sense of the minimal Frobenius norm. An incomplete block Jacobi algorithm is then effectively used to accelerate the convergence of a Krylov subspace method. The block FSAI-ILU preconditioner proves superior to both FSAI and the incomplete block Jacobi by themselves in a number of realistic finite element test cases and is fully scalable for a given number of blocks.

Adaptive Pattern Research for Block FSAI Preconditioning

An adaptive algorithm is presented to generate automatically the nonzero pattern of the block factored sparse approximate inverse (BFSAI) preconditioner. It is demonstrated that in symmetric positive definite (SPD) problems BFSAI minimizes an upper bound to the Kaporin number of the preconditioned matrix. The mathematical structure of this bound suggests an efficient and easily parallelizable strategy for improving the given nonzero pattern of BFSAI, thus providing a novel adaptive BFSAI (ABF) preconditioner. Numerical experiments performed on large sized finite element problems show that ABF coupled with a block incomplete Cholesky (IC) outperforms BFSAI-IC even by a factor of 4, preserving the same preconditioner density and exhibiting an excellent parallelization degree.

Enhanced Block FSAI Preconditioning Using Domain Decomposition Techniques

Adaptive block factorized sparse approximate inverse (FSAI) (ABF) is a novel algebraic preconditioner for the cost-effective parallel solution of symmetric positive definite linear systems. However, a main drawback stems from its reduced scalability, as the iteration count to convergence tends to grow when the number of processors increases. A domain decomposition Schur complement approach can enhance both the ABF performance and scalability. It is demonstrated that the enhanced ABF preconditioner is superior to the native block FSAI, reducing at the same time the construction and communication computational burden. Numerical results from different large size applications show that the proposed algorithm can improve significantly the preconditioner, allowing for its efficient use in massively parallel simulations as well.

FSAIPACK: A Software Package for High-Performance Factored Sparse Approximate Inverse Preconditioning

The Factorized Sparse Approximate Inverse (FSAI) is an efficient technique for preconditioning parallel solvers of symmetric positive definite sparse linear systems. The key factor controlling FSAI efficiency is the identification of an appropriate nonzero pattern. Currently, several strategies have been proposed for building such a nonzero pattern, using both static and dynamic techniques. This article describes a fresh software package, called FSAIPACK, which we developed for shared memory parallel machines. It collects all available algorithms for computing FSAI preconditioners. FSAIPACK allows for combining different techniques according to any specified strategy, hence enabling the user to thoroughly exploit the potential of each preconditioner, in solving any peculiar problem. FSAIPACK is freely available as a compiled library at http://www.dmsa.unipd.it/~janna/software.html, together with an open-source command language interpreter. By writing a command ASCII file, one can easily perform and test any given strategy for building an FSAI preconditioner. Numerical experiments are discussed in order to highlight the FSAIPACK features and evaluate its computational performance.

A comparison of projective and direct solvers for finite elements in elastostatics

The Finite Element Method (FEM) is widely used in civil and mechanical engineering to simulate the behavior of complex structures and, more specifically, to predict stress and deformation fields of structural parts or mechanical bodies. In the former case, the coupling between different types of elements, such as beams, trusses, and shells, is often required, while in the latter fully 3D discretizations are typically used. For both, FEM leads to symmetric positive definite (SPD) matrices that, depending on the type of discretization and especially on the topology of the nodal connections, may be efficiently solved by either the Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (PCG) or a direct solver such as the routine MA57 of the Harwell Software Library. Numerical experiments are shown and discussed where the effect of spatial discretization, different solution techniques, and a possible nodal reordering, is explored. The PCG preconditioner used is a variant of the incomplete Cholesky factorization with variable fill-in. It is shown that for structures with 1D or 2D connections, such as for example a bridge, MA57 performs usually better than PCG. In this case it is noted that some reorderings specifically designed and implemented for direct elimination methods can be very helpful for PCG as well as they yield a cheaper preconditioner and lead to a much faster PCG convergence. The main disadvantage is the need for an appropriate degree of fill-in for the preconditioner which turns out to be problem dependent and must be found empirically. However, in fully 3D problems, arising for example from the FE discretization of structural components or geomechanical structures, PCG outperforms MA57 while also requiring much less memory, and thus allowing for the use of much refined grids, if needed. With the aid of a large geomechanical problem it is shown that direct solvers may not be (even) used on serial computers due to their prohibitive computational cost with PCG the only viable alternative solver.

The effect of graph partitioning techniques on parallel Block FSAI preconditioning: a computational study

Adaptive Block FSAI (ABF) is a novel preconditioner which has proved efficient for the parallel solution of symmetric positive definite (SPD) linear systems and eigenproblems. A possible drawback stems from its reduced strong scalability, as the iteration count to converge for a given problem tends to grow with the number of processors used. The preliminary use of graph partitioning techniques can help improve the preconditioner quality and scalability. According to the specific theoretical properties of Block FSAI, different partitionings are selected and tested in a set of matrices arising from SPD engineering applications. The results show that using an appropriate graph partitioning technique with ABF may play an important role to increase the preconditioner efficiency and robustness, allowing for its effective use also in massively parallel simulations.

Efficient parallel solution to large size sparse eigenproblems with Block FSAI preconditioning

SUMMARY The choice of the preconditioner is a key factor to accelerate the convergence of eigensolvers for large-size sparse eigenproblems. Although incomplete factorizations with partial fill-in prove generally effective in sequential computations, the efficient preconditioning of parallel eigensolvers is still an open issue. The present paper describes the use of block factorized sparse approximate inverse (BFSAI) preconditioning for the parallel solution of large-size symmetric positive definite eigenproblems with both a simultaneous Rayleigh quotient minimization and the Jacobi–Davidson algorithm. BFSAI coupled with a block diagonal incomplete decomposition proves a robust and efficient parallel preconditioner in a number of test cases arising from the finite element discretization of 3D fluid-dynamical and mechanical engineering applications, outperforming FSAI even by a factor of 8 and exhibiting a satisfactory scalability. Copyright

Parallel inexact constraint preconditioning for ill-conditioned consolidation problems

Constraint preconditioners have proved very efficient for the solution of ill-conditioned finite element (FE) coupled consolidation problems in a sequential computing environment. Their implementation on parallel computers, however, is not straightforward because of their inherent sequentiality. The present paper describes a novel parallel inexact constraint preconditioner (ParICP) for the efficient solution of linear algebraic systems arising from the FE discretization of the coupled poro-elasticity equations. The ParICP implementation is based on the use of the block factorized sparse approximate inverse incomplete Cholesky preconditioner, which is a very recent and effective development for the parallel preconditioning of symmetric positive definite matrices. The ParICP performance is experimented with in real 3D coupled consolidation problems, proving a scalable and efficient implementation of the constraint preconditioning for high-performance computing. ParICP appears to be a very robust algorithm for solving ill-conditioned large-size coupled models in a parallel computing environment.

The Use of Supernodes in Factored Sparse Approximate Inverse Preconditioning

In recent years the growing popularity of supercomputers has fostered the development of algorithms able to take advantage of the massive parallelism offered by multiple processors. Direct methods, though robust and computationally efficient, hardly exploit high degrees of parallelism. By contrast, Krylov methods preconditioned by Factored Sparse Approximate Inverses (FSAI) provide, at least in principle, a perfectly parallel approach but are often thwarted by an excessive set-up cost. In this paper we extend the concept of supernode from sparse LU factorizations to approximate inverses, and use it to accelerate the computation of an FSAI-type preconditioner. The numerical experiments on real-world problems show that the overall FSAI efficiency can be significantly increased while preserving its intrinsic parallelism.

A novel Lagrangian approach for the stable numerical simulation of fault and fracture mechanics

The simulation of the mechanics of geological faults and fractures is of paramount importance in several applications, such as ensuring the safety of the underground storage of wastes and hydrocarbons or predicting the possible seismicity triggered by the production and injection of subsurface fluids. However, the stable numerical modeling of ground ruptures is still an open issue. The present work introduces a novel formulation based on the use of the Lagrange multipliers to prescribe the constraints on the contact surfaces. The variational formulation is modified in order to take into account the frictional work along the activated fault portion according to the principle of maximum plastic dissipation. The numerical model, developed in the framework of the Finite Element method, provides stable solutions with a fast convergence of the non-linear problem. The stabilizing properties of the proposed model are emphasized with the aid of a realistic numerical example dealing with the generation of ground fractures due to groundwater withdrawal in arid regions. A numerical model is developed for the simulation of fault and fracture mechanics.The model is implemented in the framework of the Finite Element method and with the aid of Lagrange multipliers.The proposed formulation introduces a new contribution due to the frictional work on the portion of activated fault.The resulting algorithm is highly non-linear as the portion of activated fault is itself unknown.The numerical solution is validated against analytical results and proves to be stable also in realistic applications.