Comparison study of different numerical methods on 3-D human thorax finite element models

Three-dimensional finite element models can be used in analyzing bioelectric phenomena such as electrophysiology, electrocardiology, and electrical stimulation. Typically, these models are large and complex, making the solution process computationally intensive. We have compared different numerical methods used in solving realistic three-dimensional models. The Gauss-Seidel successive over-relaxation algorithm and the conjugate gradient method effectively solved these models. The multigrid method can reduce the solution time by a factor of 5 or more compared to the successive over-relaxation algorithm. With the increasing availability of large amounts of main memory, the application of the multigrid method to large finite element models in the future is promising.