Automating embedded analysis capabilities and managing software complexity in multiphysics simulation part I: template-based generic programming

TL;DR

This paper introduces a template-based generic programming approach in C++ to embed simulation and analysis capabilities into complex multiphysics simulation codes, enhancing flexibility and manageability.

Contribution

It presents a novel method for integrating embedded analysis in simulation codes using templating and operator overloading, implemented within the Trilinos framework.

Findings

Successfully demonstrated on a chemical engineering problem

Enables flexible computation of additional quantities

Improves manageability of complex simulation software

Abstract

An approach for incorporating embedded simulation and analysis capabilities in complex simulation codes through template-based generic programming is presented. This approach relies on templating and operator overloading within the C++ language to transform a given calculation into one that can compute a variety of additional quantities that are necessary for many state-of-the-art simulation and analysis algorithms. An approach for incorporating these ideas into complex simulation codes through general graph-based assembly is also presented. These ideas have been implemented within a set of packages in the Trilinos framework and are demonstrated on a simple problem from chemical engineering.