FINITE-ELEMENT GROUNDWATER MODELS IMPLEMENTED ON VECTOR COMPUTERS

Finite element models, optimized for running on conventional serial computers, are not suitable to make use of the potentional high performance of today's vector or parallel computers. Also, automatic vectorization by the compiler or manual vectorization at the local level do not by far lead to the required and expected computational speed. A global change of the overall program logic or a complete redesign becomes necessary, i. e. a completely new generation of program systems has to be created, considering the new hardware characteristics and abilities. A new computer-independent programming technique for finite element problems to be implemented on vector computers is proposed and the test results of scalar and vectorized program structures on a conventional serial and on a non-conventional pipeline computer are discussed.