On the Vectorization of Engineering Codes Using Multimedia Instructions

Abstract

AbstractAfter years dominating high performance computing, expensive vector computers were gradually replaced by more affordable solutions and the use of vectorization techniques once applied to many scientific codes also faded. This paper addresses the vectorization of engineering codes using Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) also known as multimedia instructions. This particular kind of vectorization differs from the old vectorization techniques in the sense that it relies on hardware features and instruction sets only present on modern processors. Evolving from Intel MMX, SSE is the fifth generation of an established technology highly suited to handle computing intensive tasks like encryption/decryption, audio and video compression, also including digital signal processing but not so well explored for scientific computing, specially among engineering programmers. To demonstrate the benefits of vector/SIMD computing and its implementation on existing scalar algorithms, the authors present this technique applied to an engineering program for the solution of two dimensional elastostatic problems with the boundary element method. Taking an application from a well-know reference on the area, the paper focus on the programming techniques and addresses common tasks used in many other codes, like Gauss integration and equations system assembling. Thus, the vectorization guidelines provided here may also be extended to solve many other types of problems, using other numerical methods as well as other multimedia instruction set extensions. Numerical experiments show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.KeywordsBoundary ElementBoundary Element MethodHigh Performance ComputingEngineering CodeMultimedia InstructionThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.