Increasing the Efficiency and Reliability of Software Development for Systems of PDEs
Are Magnus Bruaset
SINTEF Applied Mathematics, Box 124 Blindern, N-0314 Oslo, Norway. Are.Magnus.Bruaset@math.sintef.no

Erik Jarl Holm
Institute for Energy Technology, N-2007 Kjeller, Norway.
erikh@ife.no

Hans Petter Langtangen
University of Oslo, Box 1053 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway.
hpl@math.uio.no

Abstract

In this chapter we address an object-oriented strategy for the development of software solving systems of partial differential equations. The proposed development strategy encourages heavy reuse of modules capable of solving the involved subproblems. Using class inheritance for successive refinement of the involved solvers, the complexity of the overall model is increased stepwise, layer by layer. In addition to the obvious advantage of code reuse and modular testing, this approach allows the developer to pull the pieces apart at any time for individual verification.