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Civil-Comp Proceedings
ISSN 1759-3433
CCP: 45
ADVANCES IN COMPUTATIONAL MECHANICS FOR PARALLEL AND DISTRIBUTED PROCESSING
Edited by: B.H.V. Topping
Paper IV.5

Optimization Methods for Dynamic Load Balancing

P.J. McWilliams and B.H.V. Topping

Department of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Full Bibliographic Reference for this paper
P.J. McWilliams, B.H.V. Topping, "Optimization Methods for Dynamic Load Balancing", in B.H.V. Topping, (Editor), "Advances in Computational Mechanics for Parallel and Distributed Processing", Civil-Comp Press, Edinburgh, UK, pp 129-135, 1997. doi:10.4203/ccp.45.4.5
Abstract
When applying a parallel finite element solution method using non-structured grids and adaptive grid refinement on a multiprocessor based computer the load on individual processors can become unbalanced. In cases like this it is necessary to consider the problem of dynamic load balancing. When applying load balancing methods it is necessary, not only to calculate how many elements need into be moved, but also which elements need to be moved to preserve a minimum boundary between the domains allocated to the processors. The diffusion algorithm is described as one method by which the number of elements to be transferred can be calculated. Two new algorithms are also described. The edge optimisation algorithm can be used, in conjunction with other load balancing methods, to minimise communication costs. The move optimisation algorithm combines a load balancing algorithm with the minimisation of communications.

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