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The demand for solving very large structural simulation problems continually increases. Ten years ago, it was a dream for finite element analysts to solve structural problems with 50 to 100 million degrees of freedom; today, with the evolution of software and supporting hardware, this has become a reality. 
Direct sparse solver technology, the default approach in many mainstream commercial FEA packages, has limits when used with very large models. The number of floating point operations required to factorize large stiffness matrices grows quickly as model size increases, particularly for models using solid elements.
Iterative solver technology provides a fast, scalable alternative. By enabling the solution of models that are prohibitively large for direct solvers, iterative solvers are powerful tools for achieving high fidelity solutions. Together with the high performance modeling, meshing, and visualization capabilities of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, this technology empowers structural and mechanical analysts with a new tool to handle large, real-world simulation models with over 200 million degrees of freedom.
This document describes best practices for a new, state-of-the-art iterative linear equation solver in Abaqus/Standard and the 3DEXPERIENCE structural simulation apps.
The new solution capability is built on an original, proprietary algorithm developed for reliability, efficiency, and lean memory management. A scalable parallel implementation results in a very fast, low memory consumption solver well suited for very large models.
The iterative solver is best suited to models with certain characteristics. Specifically, the iterative solver is best suited for models with a high degree of mesh connectivity and a relatively low degree of mesh sparsity; such models are typically referred to as “blocky” are most often simulated with three dimensional solid elements. In this document we provide usage guidelines and strategies to help you best utilize this technology.
Target Audience: Structural and Mechanical Analysts that develop large, computationally intensive finite element models.
In this Best Practice, you will learn about:
- What model types are best suited for the iterative solver.
- How to access the iterative solver on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
- Optimal settings for launching and running the iterative solver.
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Katie is the Editor of the SIMULIA blog, an expert in engineering and scientific communication, and a strategic digital marketer. Katie has a BA in English and Writing from the University of Rhode Island and a MS in Technical Communication from Northeastern University. She is also a proud SIMULIA advocate, passionate about democratizing simulation for all audiences. Katie is a native Rhode Islander but now lives just over the border in southeast Massachusetts. She is a true New Englander and loves sharing all the cool things NE has to offer. She enjoys a variety of hobbies including history, astronomy, science/technology, science fiction, true crime, fashion and anything associated with nature and the outdoors. She is also mom to a 4-year old budding engineer and two crazy rescue pups.