Workload Distribution Framework for the Parallel Solution of Large Structural Models on Heterogeneous PC Clusters

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KURÇ Ö.

JOURNAL OF COMPUTING IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, vol.24, no.2, pp.151-160, 2010 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 24 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1061/(asce)cp.1943-5487.0000019
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF COMPUTING IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.151-160
  • Keywords: Workload balancing, Partitioning, Repartitioning, Substructure, Parallel, Heterogeneous computing, PC cluster, FINITE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS, ALGORITHM, COMPUTATIONS, SOLVERS
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

One of the main problems of substructure-based parallel solution methods is the imbalances in the condensation times of substructures when direct solvers are used. Such imbalances usually decrease the performance of the parallel solution. Thus, in this study, a workload distribution framework for such methods at heterogeneous computing environment is presented. The main idea behind this framework is to iteratively adjust the shapes of substructures so that the imbalance in their condensation times is minimized. Both generated and actual structural models were solved to illustrate the applicability and the efficiency of this approach. In these examples, a PC cluster having eight different computers was used.