On the parallel implementation of a hybrid-mixed stress formulation

This paper reports the parallel implementation of a hybrid-mixed stress finite element model for the analysis of three-dimensional structures. The stress and the displacement fields in the domain and the displacement fields on the static boundary are independently approximated. All field equations are imposed in a weighted residual form and Legendre polynomials are used to define the approximation bases. The parallel implementation of the model uses a message passing scheme based on the MPI standard. For the parallel solution of the governing system, two distinct approaches are tested. The first corresponds to the use of a third-party parallel direct solver code, named MUMPS. The second uses an in-house developed hybrid solver inspired by the FETI method and designed to deal with the typical pattern of the hybrid-mixed stress model governing system. Some numerical examples are discussed to illustrate the effectiveness and performance of the adopted parallel approach.