Deep Truncated FBSDE Method: A Robust Solver for High-Dimensional Nonlinear PDEs and Fully Coupled FBSDEs

Source abstract

In this paper, we introduce a deep truncated forward-backward stochastic differential equation (FBSDE) method for high-dimensional partial differential equations (PDEs). Compared with existing deep-learning solvers for fully coupled FBSDEs, where strong coupling may lead to numerical instability, our approach exhibits improved stability. The proposed method combines gradient-truncated iterative decoupling with fictitious-play averaging to separate the forward and backward processes in a coupled framework. This preserves the coupled dynamics while reducing the unstable feedback induced by parameter-dependent forward paths during optimization. Furthermore, we incorporate a pathwise consistency term to create explicit local gradient shortcuts, thereby providing a structural mechanism that may mitigate gradient vanishing. We also derive a residual-based error estimate and establish conditional convergence of the fully discrete numerical approximations under suitable conditions, in which the pathwise consistency loss is not required. Our approach is particularly effective for convection-dominated equations, where the coupled formulation provides a stable representation of nonlinear transport without introducing singular terms into the BSDE. Numerical experiments demonstrate improved accuracy and stability in both low- and high-dimensional problems and robust performance for strongly coupled problems.