IFISS3D: A Computational Laboratory for Investigating Finite Element Approximation in Three Dimensions

Abstract

IFISS is an established MATLAB finite element software package for studying strategies for solving partial differential equations (PDEs). IFISS3D is a new add-on toolbox that extends IFISS capabilities for elliptic PDEs from two to three space dimensions. The open-source MATLAB framework provides a computational laboratory for experimentation and exploration of finite element approximation and error estimation, as well as iterative solvers. The package is designed to be useful as a teaching tool for instructors and students who want to learn about state-of-the-art finite element methodology. It will also be useful for researchers as a source of reproducible test matrices of arbitrarily large dimension.