Partial Differential Equations Meet Deep Neural Networks: A Survey

Many problems in science and engineering can be mathematically modeled using partial differential equations (PDEs), which are essential for fields like computational fluid dynamics (CFD), molecular dynamics, and dynamical systems. Although traditional numerical methods like the finite difference/element method are widely used, their computational inefficiency, due to the large number of iterations required, has long been a challenge. Recently, deep learning (DL) has emerged as a promising alternative for solving PDEs, offering new paradigms beyond conventional methods. Despite the growing interest in techniques like physics-informed neural networks (PINNs), a systematic review of the diverse neural network (NN) approaches for PDEs is still missing. This survey fills that gap by categorizing and reviewing the current progress of deep NNs (DNNs) for PDEs. Unlike previous reviews focused on specific methods like PINNs, we offer a broader taxonomy and analyze applications across scientific, engineering, and medical fields. We also provide a historical overview, key challenges, and future trends, aiming to serve both researchers and practitioners with insights into how DNNs can be effectively applied to solve PDEs.