A class of parallel multiple-front algorithms on subdomains

A class of parallel multiple-front solution algorithms is developed for solving linear systems arising from discretization of boundary value problems and evolution problems. The basic substructuring approach and frontal algorithm on each subdomain are rst modi ed to ensure stable factorization in situations where ill-conditioning may occur due to di ering material properties or the use of high degree nite elements (p methods). Next, the method is implemented on distributed-memory multiprocessor systems with the nal reduced (small) Schur complement problem solved on a single processor. A novel algorithm that implements a recursive partitioning approach on the subdomain interfaces is then developed. Both algorithms are implemented and compared in a least-squares nite-element scheme for viscous incompressible ow computation using h- and p- nite element schemes