Enhanced TABS-MDS model for simulating large-scale free surface flows

Modeling flows, be it from surface water or ground water, often require using (legacy) serial application codes that have been formulated, strengthened and tested by various audiences over a span of a few years. A limitation in using these serial codes for modeling large-scale transient flows lies in the order of required computational time for completing the simulation. Strategies aimed at addressing this limitation without extensive modifications to the code can further enhance their application without losing any of their current users. In this study, we take an existing popular three-dimensional finite-element hydrodynamic code (TABS-MDS), a product of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and integrate it under the umbrella of an advanced software library: PETSc. The advantage of using the powerful solvers and preconditioners from the software library for solving the end system of equations is illustrated. The results indicate that the choice of the solver combination can have a significant effect on the end computational time. The target audience of this paper are the numerical modelers from a multitude of disciplines who are interested in enhancing the performance of their serial codes.