HPC Introduction: Difference between revisions
Content deleted Content added
Chris Huxley (talk | contribs) |
No edit summary |
||
| (21 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
Line 1:
=Introduction=
As of TUFLOW build 2017-09-AA, TUFLOW offers HPC (Heavily Parallelised Compute) as an alternate 2D Shallow Water Equation (SWE) solver to TUFLOW Classic. Whereas TUFLOW Classic is limited to running a simulation on a single CPU core, HPC provides parallelisation of the TUFLOW model allowing modellers to run a single TUFLOW model across multiple CPU cores or GPU graphics cards (which utilise thousands of smaller CUDA* cores). Simulations using GPU
In general, most of the functionality and features of TUFLOW Classic are available in HPC. Additionally,
* Quadtree and sub-grid sampling
* High resolution map output grids
* Groundwater infiltration and sub-surface flows
* Wu turbulence formulation
* TMR bridge inputs (2d_bg)
===Solution Scheme, Cell Discretisation and Parallelisation===
TUFLOW HPC is an explicit
[[File: HPC Cell Design.PNG |300px]]<br>
Line 20 ⟶ 25:
* Wet and dry independently of the cell wetting or drying (see Cell Wet/Dry Depth). This allows for the modelling of “thin” obstructions such as fences and thin embankments relative to the cell size (eg. a concrete levee).
ZH points:
* Play no role hydraulically.
* The only elevations written to the SMS .2dm mesh file (by default, binary output is interpolated/extrapolated to the cell corners).
[[File: Mesh_Ribbon_Splitting.png |360px]]<br>
Line 31 ⟶ 36:
The explicit finite volume solution scheme utilised in HPC is mass conserving by construction (0% mass error). This differs to TUFLOW Classic, which can continue to simulate a model with some volume error due to it being an implicit finite difference scheme. The stability of the explicit finite volume scheme used in TUFLOW HPC is linked to the timestep, flow velocities, water depth, and eddy viscosity. The maximum timestep that can be used while maintaining model stability changes as the model evolves. While it is possible to choose a fixed timestep ahead of time (similarly to TUFLOW Classic), shorter run times and guaranteed model stability from start to finish may be achieved through the use of adaptive timestepping where the solver continually modifies the timestep based on various stability criteria. This is explained in more detail in our <u>[[HPC_Adaptive_Timestepping | Adaptive Timestepping]]</u> page.<br>
===Compatible Graphic Cards (GPU) ===▼
▲===Compatible Graphic Cards===
TUFLOW HPC’s GPU hardware module is only compatible with NVIDIA architecture CUDA enabled GPU cards. AMD GPU cards are NOT compatible. A list of CUDA enabled GPUs can be found on the following website: <u>http://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-gpus </u>.
To check if your computer has an NVIDA GPU and if it is CUDA enabled:
Line 42 ⟶ 44:
* The GPU model should be displayed in the graphics card information;
* Check to see if the graphics card is listed on the following website: <u>http://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-gpus</u>
On the NVIDA website each CUDA enabled graphics card has a “Compute Capability” listed. For cards with a compute capability of 1.2 or less, only the single precision version of the GPU Module can be utilised. However, benchmarking has indicated that the double precision version is NOT required and that the TUFLOW_iSP exe should be used for all TUFLOW HPC GPU simulations. Extensive GPU hardware benchmarking has been undertaken to assist users who are upgrading hardware for TUFLOW modelling. Over 50 different hardware options have been tested for their speed performance. The results are provided on the <u>[[Hardware_Benchmarking | Hardware Benchmarking]]</u> page.
===Benefits of HPC===
So what does this mean for modellers? <br><br>
* Monte Carlo design assessments
* Rainfall ensemble design assessments
* High resolution 1D underground / 2D above ground integrated urban drainage
* High resolution floodplain lumped hydrology / hydraulic modelling (either fully 2D or including nested 1D open channels and pipes)
* Whole of catchment direct rainfall
* Flood forecast modelling
* Long-term water resource management modelling
The unconditional stability and higher order accuracy of TUFLOW HPC also lends itself well to highly transient situations, such as dam break assessments, where other solvers would either become unstable, lose accuracy or experience impractical simulation slow-down due to the need to solve at an extremely small timestep.
▲So what does this mean for modellers? By providing the ability to run models on Graphics Cards, we can achieve significantly shorter model run times, increasing our modelling capabilities to be able to run continuous hydraulic models, with higher cell resolution, across larger extents and more scenarios (Monte Carlo, rainfall ensembles). If you would like to learn more about HPC’s run times and modelling benefits then please refer to our <u>[[Hardware Benchmarking | Hardware Benchmarking Wiki Page]]</u>. <br>
<br>
{{Tips Navigation
|uplink=[[ HPC_Modelling_Guidance | Back to HPC Modelling Guidance]]
}}
| |||