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A High Order End to End Octree-Based Finite Element Solver

We present an implementation of finite element solver using an octree data structure which incorporates topography and strain-dependent rheologies using a conforming octree-based mesh. The former are features of interest for earthquake engineering and seismological applications. The performance of this solver (ATLAS) is grounded on the variable polynomial order of the field approximation implemented, as in most standard finite element codes, together with a conforming mesh, which preserves the semistructured character of octrees and their inherent advantages in memory usage.

The analysis of a canonical example, including topography, computed using the Indirect Integral Equation Method shows an improvement in the convergence of ATLAS when compared against octree-based non-conforming low order code. In addition, we analyze different alternatives to ameliorate the spurious modes introduced in displacement-based approximations when dealing with large p- to s-wave ratios. We conclude that a stress-velocity formulation might offer better performance for seismological applications.

Presenting Author: Leonardo Ramirez-Guzman

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