# (U)NFV: Supervised and Unsupervised Neural Finite Volume Methods for Solving Hyperbolic PDEs

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.23702 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.23702/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 12 of its 46 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 29 May 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 12 of 12)

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- [Physics Informed Deep Learning (Part I): Data-driven Solutions of Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1711.10561/) (2017)
- [PPINN: Parareal Physics-Informed Neural Network for time-dependent PDEs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1909.10145/) (2019)
- [wPINNs: Weak Physics informed neural networks for approximating entropy solutions of hyperbolic conservation laws](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.08483/) (2022)
- [I-24 MOTION: An instrument for freeway traffic science](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.11198/) (2023)
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## Abstract (arXiv)

We introduce (U)NFV, a modular neural network architecture that generalizes classical finite volume (FV) methods for solving hyperbolic conservation laws. Hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs) are challenging to solve, particularly conservation laws whose physically relevant solutions contain shocks and discontinuities. FV methods are widely used for their mathematical properties: convergence to entropy solutions, flow conservation, or total variation diminishing, but often lack accuracy and flexibility in complex settings. Neural Finite Volume addresses these limitations by learning update rules over extended spatial and temporal stencils while preserving conservation structure. It supports both supervised training on solution data (NFV) and unsupervised training via weak-form residual loss (UNFV). Applied to first-order conservation laws, (U)NFV achieves up to 10x lower error than Godunov's method, outperforms ENO/WENO, and rivals discontinuous Galerkin solvers with far less complexity. On traffic modeling problems, both from PDEs and from experimental highway data, (U)NFV captures nonlinear wave dynamics with significantly higher fidelity and scalability than traditional FV approaches.