GPU accelerated dislocation dynamics

Francesco Ferroni, Edmund Tarleton, Steven Fitzgerald

Abstract: In this paper we analyze the computational bottlenecks in discrete dislocation dynamics modeling (associated with segment–segment interactions as well as the treatment of free surfaces), discuss the parallelization and optimization strategies, and demonstrate the effectiveness of Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) computation in accelerating dislocation dynamics simulations and expanding their scope. Individual algorithmic benchmark tests as well as an example large simulation of a thin film are presented.