The feelfem system: a repository system for the finite element method

Abstract

We have developed a finite element method (FEM) software repository tool named feelfem that serves as a code generator. One important feature of feelfem is that it is designed to generate various program models of FEM analysis, including users' own newly developed numerical schemes. Another feature is that interfaces to newly developed parallel programming paradigms and parallel solvers can easily be added to it. Software reuse is an important target of the feelfem system. To achieve flexibility and expandability for the system, we adopt an object-oriented technique and implementation-oriented pseudo-code representation of numerical algorithms. In its latest released version, feelfem has strong interaction with the personal pre/post processor GiD. By using a combination of feelfem and GiD, users can generate prototype parallel FEM applications with newly developed solvers very easily and quickly.