A distributed finite element method for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

The potential for using a network of workstations for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using a finite element formulation is investigated. A programming paradigm suitable for a heterogeneous distributed workstation environment is developed and compared to the traditional paradigm employed for distributed memory parallel computers. In particular, the issues of load balancing and fault recovery are explored. Numerical results are presented for two computer configurations: (1) a homogeneous network of workstations and (2) a heterogeneous network of workstations. The superiority of the developed paradigm over the traditional paradigm employed for distributed memory parallel computers is shown in cases where a heterogeneous network of workstations is employed or when one of the workstations of the cluster is loaded by other users.