[petsc-users] using petsc tools to solve isolated irregular domains with finite difference

[Bishesh Khanal]

On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 10:21 PM, Matthew Knepley <knepley at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 2:55 PM, Bishesh Khanal <bisheshkh at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 8:18 PM, Matthew Knepley <knepley at gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> On Fri, Oct 25, 2013 at 12:09 PM, Bishesh Khanal <bisheshkh at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Dear all,
>>>> I would like to know if some of the petsc objects that I have not used
>>>> so far (IS, DMPlex, PetscSection) could be useful in the following case (of
>>>> irregular domains):
>>>>
>>>> Let's say that I have a 3D binary image (a cube).
>>>> The binary information of the image partitions the cube into a
>>>> computational domain and non-computational domain.
>>>> I must solve a pde (say a Poisson equation) only on the computational
>>>> domains (e.g: two isolated spheres within the cube). I'm using finite
>>>> difference and say a dirichlet boundary condition
>>>>
>>>> I know that I can create a dmda that will let me access the information
>>>> from this 3D binary image, get all the coefficients, rhs values etc using
>>>> the natural indexing (i,j,k).
>>>>
>>>> Now, I would like to create a matrix corresponding to the laplace
>>>> operator (e.g. with standard 7 pt. stencil), and the corresponding RHS that
>>>> takes care of the dirchlet values too.
>>>> But in this matrix it should have the rows corresponding to the nodes
>>>> only on the computational domain. It would be nice if I can easily (using
>>>> (i,j,k) indexing) put on the rhs dirichlet values corresponding to the
>>>> boundary points.
>>>> Then, once the system is solved, put the values of the solution back to
>>>> the corresponding positions in the binary image.
>>>> Later, I might have to extend this for the staggered grid case too.
>>>> So is petscsection or dmplex suitable for this so that I can set up the
>>>> matrix with something like DMCreateMatrix ? Or what would you suggest as a
>>>> suitable approach to this problem ?
>>>>
>>>> I have looked at the manual and that led me to search for a simpler
>>>> examples in petsc src directories. But most of the ones I encountered are
>>>> with FEM (and I'm not familiar at all with FEM, so these examples serve
>>>> more as a distraction with FEM jargon!)
>>>>
>>>
>>> It sounds like the right solution for this is to use PetscSection on top
>>> of DMDA. I am working on this, but it is really
>>> alpha code. If you feel comfortable with that level of development, we
>>> can help you.
>>>
>>
>> Thanks, with the (short) experience of using Petsc so far and being
>> familiar with the awesomeness (quick and helpful replies) of this mailing
>> list, I would like to give it a try. Please give me some pointers to get
>> going for the example case I mentioned above. A simple example of using
>> PetscSection along with DMDA for finite volume (No FEM) would be great I
>> think.
>> Just a note: I'm currently using the petsc3.4.3 and have not used the
>> development version before.
>>
>
> Okay,
>
> 1)  clone the repository using Git and build the 'next' branch.
>
> 2) then we will need to create a PetscSection that puts unknowns where you
> want them
>
> 3) Setup the solver as usual
>
> You can do 1) an 3) before we do 2).
>
> I've done 1) and 3). I have one .cxx file that solves the system using
DMDA (putting identity into the rows corresponding to the cells that are
not used).
Please let me know what I should do now.



>
>  If not, just put the identity into
>>> the rows you do not use on the full cube. It will not hurt scalability
>>> or convergence.
>>>
>>
>> In the case of Poisson with Dirichlet condition this might be the case.
>> But is it always true that having identity rows in the system matrix will
>> not hurt convergence ? I thought otherwise for the following reasons:
>> 1)  Having read Jed's answer here :
>> http://scicomp.stackexchange.com/questions/3426/why-is-pinning-a-point-to-remove-a-null-space-bad/3427#3427
>>
>
> Jed is talking about a constraint on a the pressure at a point. This is
> just decoupling these unknowns from the rest
> of the problem.
>
>
>> 2) Some observation I am getting (but I am still doing more experiments
>> to confirm) while solving my staggered-grid 3D stokes flow with schur
>> complement and using -pc_type gamg for A00 matrix. Putting the identity
>> rows for dirichlet boundaries and for ghost cells seemed to have effects on
>> its convergence. I'm hoping once I know how to use PetscSection, I can get
>> rid of using ghost cells method for the staggered grid and get rid of the
>> identity rows too.
>>
>
> It can change the exact iteration, but it does not make the matrix
> conditioning worse.
>
>    Matt
>
>
>>  Anyway please provide me with some pointers so that I can start trying
>> with petscsection on top of a dmda, in the beginning for non-staggered case.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Bishesh
>>
>>>
>>>   Matt
>>>
>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Bishesh
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> What most experimenters take for granted before they begin their
>>> experiments is infinitely more interesting than any results to which their
>>> experiments lead.
>>> -- Norbert Wiener
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> What most experimenters take for granted before they begin their
> experiments is infinitely more interesting than any results to which their
> experiments lead.
> -- Norbert Wiener
>
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