A non-integer step ratio parallel computing method for hybrid finite-element and discrete-element on multi-core computer

Abstract

Commercial finite-element and discrete-element software usually adopts a unified computational time step and limit the number of our computer cores. In the face of large-scale with refined scale computing models, this will undoubtedly increase the time cost. The multi time step method of integer step ratio is a method to deal with this kind of problem. A non-integer ratio multi-time step computing method based on domain decomposition and subcycling method is proposed and applied to the finite-element and discrete-element engineering problems. The whole model is divided into finite-element method (FEM) subdomains and discrete-element method (DEM) subdomains according to the load balance of CPU. A coupling region between adjacent domains consists of multiple boundary nodes and particles based on the non-integer step ratio. Boundary data in coupling region are transferred through MPI communication protocol. This method can make full use of the advantages of multi-core computer and improve the calculation efficiency of engineering software.