diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 52ab21e64..d76fd32e2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ endif (DAMASK_DRIVER STREQUAL "SPECTRAL")
 
 
 # set system include directories
-include_directories(${PETSC_DIR}/include
+include_directories(${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}
+                    ${PETSC_DIR}/include
                     lib
                     ${HDF5_DIR}/include
                     )
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ else (OPTIMIZATION STREQUAL "OFF")
     set (OPTIMIZATION_gfortran "-O2")
 endif (OPTIMIZATION STREQUAL "OFF")
 
-set (STANDARD_CHECK_ifort    "-stand f08 -standard-semantics")
+set (STANDARD_CHECK_ifort    "-stand none -standard-semantics")
 set (STANDARD_CHECK_gfortran "-std=f2008ts -pedantic-errors" )
 
 ###################################################################################################
@@ -144,7 +145,10 @@ set (STANDARD_CHECK_gfortran "-std=f2008ts -pedantic-errors" )
 #     all:
 #  -name as_is: case sensitive Fortran!
 ###################################################################################################
-set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -DDAMASKVERSION=${DAMASK_V}" )
+# -diag-disable 7410 should disable warning about directory statement in inquire function,
+#  but does not work. hence the other 2 statements
+###################################################################################################
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -DDAMASKVERSION=\\\"${DAMASK_V}\\\"" )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -fpp"                        )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -ftz"                        )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -assume byterecl,fpe_summary")
@@ -156,7 +160,9 @@ set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -warn interfaces"
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -warn ignore_loc"            )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -warn alignments"            )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -warn unused"                )
-
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -diag-remark 7410"           )
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -stand none"                 )
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort   "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort} -warn nostderrors"           )
 ###################################################################################################
 # COMPILE SWITCHES FOR RUNTIME DEBUGGING
 # -g:                       Generate symbolic debugging information in the object file
@@ -272,6 +278,14 @@ set (LINK_OPTIONS_ifort      "-shared-intel")
 # -Wunsafe-loop-optimizations:   warn if the loop cannot be optimized due to nontrivial assumptions.
 # -Wstrict-overflow:
 ###################################################################################################
+# fno-range-check:  Disable range checking on results of simplification of constant expressions during compilation
+#      -->   allows the definition of DAMASK_NaN
+#-fall-intrinsics:  all intrinsic procedures (including the GNU-specific extensions) are accepted. -Wintrinsics-std will be ignored
+#                   and no user-defined procedure with the same name as any intrinsic will be called except when it is explicitly declared external
+#      -->   allows the use of 'isnan'
+#-fno-fast-math:
+#      -->   otherwise, when setting -ffast-math, isnan always evaluates to false (I would call it a bug)
+###################################################################################################
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -DDAMASKVERSION=${DAMASKVERSION}")
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -xf95-cpp-input"                 )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -ffree-line-length-240"          )
@@ -286,7 +300,10 @@ set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -Wsuggest-attribute=n
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -Wconversion-extra"              )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -Wimplicit-procedure"            )
 set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -Wno-unused-parameter"           )
-
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -fno-range-check"                )
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -fall-intrinsics"                )
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -fno-fast-math"                  )
+set (COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran "${COMPILE_OPTIONS_gfortran} -fall-intrinsics"                )
 ###################################################################################################
 # COMPILE SWITCHES FOR RUNTIME DEBUGGING
 # -ffpe-trap=invalid,\         stop execution if floating point exception is detected (NaN is silent)
@@ -348,6 +365,7 @@ if (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
 
     set (CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG    "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} ${LINK_OPTIONS_ifort}" )
     set (CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG    "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} ${DEBUG_OPTIONS_ifort}")
+    #
 elseif (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "gfortran.*")
     set (CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER "${PETSC_DIR}/bin/mpif90")
     # for RELEASE
@@ -398,6 +416,7 @@ set (CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG    "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG}   -DPETSc"
 # NOTE: some file might need different flags for compiling, DAMASK_$FLAGS
 #       are essentially the swap for this purpose
 set (DAMASK_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE    "${CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE}"   )
+set (DAMASK_Fortran_FLAGS_DEBUG      "${CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS_DEBUG}"     )
 set (DAMASK_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE}")
 set (DAMASK_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG   "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG}"  )
 
diff --git a/code/CMakeLists.txt b/code/CMakeLists.txt
index 55bf78952..542b637d3 100644
--- a/code/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,51 +1,17 @@
 # The dependency detection in CMake is not functioning for Fortran
 # !!! EXPLICIT DEPENDENCY DECLARATION !!!
-###################################################################################################
-# fno-range-check:  Disable range checking on results of simplification of constant expressions during compilation
-#      -->   allows the definition of DAMASK_NaN
-#-fall-intrinsics:  all intrinsic procedures (including the GNU-specific extensions) are accepted. -Wintrinsics-std will be ignored
-#                   and no user-defined procedure with the same name as any intrinsic will be called except when it is explicitly declared external
-#      -->   allows the use of 'isnan'
-#-fno-fast-math:
-#      -->   otherwise, when setting -ffast-math, isnan always evaluates to false (I would call it a bug)
-###################################################################################################
-if (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
-      set (SPEICAL_FLAGS "")
-elseif (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "gfortran.*")
-      set (SPEICAL_FLAGS "-fno-range-check -fall-intrinsics -fno-fast-math")
-else (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
-      message (FATAL_ERROR "Unknown Fortrna compiler.")
-endif (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
 
-set (CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE "${DAMASK_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE} ${SPEICAL_FLAGS}")
+add_library(DAMASK_PREC "prec.f90")
 
-add_library(DAMASK_prec "prec.f90")
-
-set (CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE "${DAMASK_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE}")
-
-###################################################################################################
-# -diag-disable 7410 should disable warning about directory statement in inquire function,
-#  but does not work. hence the other 2 statements
-###################################################################################################
 if (SPECTRAL)
-      if (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
-            set (SPEICAL_FLAGS "-diag-remark 7410 -stand none -warn nostderrors")
-      elseif (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "gfortran.*")
-            set (SPEICAL_FLAGS "-fall-intrinsics")
-      else (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
-            message (FATAL_ERROR "Unknown Fortrna compiler.")
-      endif (Fortran_COMPILER_NAME MATCHES "ifort.*")
-
-      set (CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE "${DAMASK_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE} ${SPEICAL_FLAGS}")
-
-      add_library(DAMASK_interface "spectral_interface.f90")
-      target_link_libraries(DAMASK_interface DAMASK_prec)
-
-      set (CMAKE_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE "${DAMASK_Fortran_FLAGS_RELEASE}")
+      add_library(DAMASK_INTERFACE "spectral_interface.f90")
+      target_link_libraries(DAMASK_INTERFACE DAMASK_PREC)
+elseif(SPECTRAL)
+      message(FATAL_ERROR "NOT IMPLEMENTED YET")
 endif(SPECTRAL)
 
 add_library(DAMASK_IO "IO.f90")
-target_link_libraries(DAMASK_IO DAMASK_interface)
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_IO DAMASK_INTERFACE)
 
 add_library(DAMASK_LIBS "libs.f90")
 target_link_libraries(DAMASK_LIBS DAMASK_IO)
@@ -56,49 +22,38 @@ target_link_libraries(DAMASK_NUMERICS DAMASK_LIBS)
 add_library(DAMASK_DEBUG "debug.f90")
 target_link_libraries(DAMASK_DEBUG DAMASK_NUMERICS)
 
-add_library(DAMASK_BASICS ALIAS DAMASK_DEBUG)
+add_library(DAMASK_FEsolving "FEsolving.f90")
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_FEsolving DAMASK_DEBUG)
 
-# group sources for base modules
-# the FEM modules would require special attention
-# will take care of it later.
-set (SRC    "CPFEM"
-            "CPFEM2"
-            "core_quit"
-            "commercialFEM_fileList"
-            "compilation_info"
-            "constitutive"
-            "crystallite"
-            "damask_hdf5"
-            "lattice"
-            "material"
-            "math"
-            "mesh"
-            "quit__genmod"
-    )
+add_library(DAMASK_MATH "math.f90")
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_MATH DAMASK_FEsolving)
 
-# compiler base modules
-foreach (p ${SRC})
-      add_library (${p} "${p}.f90")
-      target_link_libraries(${p} DAMASK_BASICS)
-endforeach (p)
+# SPECTRAL solver and FEM solver use different mesh
+# source files
+if (SPECTRAL)
+      add_library(DAMASK_MESH "mesh.f90")
+endif(SPECTRAL)
+if (FEM)
+      add_library(DAMASK_MESH "${FEM_DIR}/meshFEM.f90")
+endif(FEM)
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_MESH DAMASK_MATH)
 
-# set libraries/modules for linking
-foreach (p ${SRC})
-    set (DAMASK_LIB ${DAMASK_LIB} ${p})
-endforeach (p)
+add_library(DAMASK_MATERIAL "material.f90")
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_MATERIAL DAMASK_MESH)
 
-# compile each sub moudel
-add_subdirectory(damage)
-add_subdirectory(homogenization)
-add_subdirectory(hydrogenflux)
-add_subdirectory(kinematics)
+add_library(DAMASK_LATTICE "lattice.f90")
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_LATTICE DAMASK_MATERIAL)
+add_library(DAMASK_DRIVERS ALIAS DAMASK_LATTICE)
+
+# For each modular section
 add_subdirectory(plastic)
-add_subdirectory(porosity)
-add_subdirectory(source)
-add_subdirectory(spectral)
-add_subdirectory(thermal)
-add_subdirectory(vacancyflux)
+# add_subdirectory(kinematics)
+# add_subdirectory(source)
+
+# add_library(DAMASK_CONSTITUTIVE "constitutive.f90")
+# target_link_libraries(DAMASK_CONSTITUTIVE DAMASK_DRIVERS)
+# add_library(DAMASK_DRIVERS ALIAS DAMASK_CONSTITUTIVE)
 
 # compile spectral solver
 add_executable(DAMASKSpectral.exe DAMASK_spectral.f90)
-target_link_libraries (DAMASKSpectral.exe ${DAMASK_LIB})
\ No newline at end of file
+target_link_libraries (DAMASKSpectral.exe DAMASK_PLASTIC)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/Makefile b/code/Makefile
index a18cbebac..66c70e646 100644
--- a/code/Makefile
+++ b/code/Makefile
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ OPTIMIZATION_AGGRESSIVE_gfortran :=-O3 -ffast-math -funroll-loops -ftree-vectori
 
 
 LINK_OPTIONS_ifort       :=-shared-intel
-COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort    :=-DDAMASKVERSION=\"${DAMASKVERSION}\"\
+COMPILE_OPTIONS_ifort    :=-DDAMASKVERSION='${DAMASKVERSION}'\
                            -fpp\
                            -ftz\
                            -assume byterecl,fpe_summary\
diff --git a/code/kinematics/CMakeLists.txt b/code/kinematics/CMakeLists.txt
index c6eb341d0..af37022fe 100644
--- a/code/kinematics/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/kinematics/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,12 +6,10 @@ set (KINEMATICS   "kinematics_cleavage_opening"
                   "kinematics_hydrogen_strain"
     )
 
-# compile kinamtic modules
+# compile module and cumulatively link the
+# compiled libraries
 foreach (p ${KINEMATICS})
     add_library (${p} "${p}.f90")
-endforeach (p)
-
-# set libraries/modules for linking
-foreach (p ${KINEMATICS})
-    set (DAMASK_LIB ${DAMASK_LIB} ${p})
+    target_link_libraries(${p} DAMASK_DRIVERS)
+    add_library (DAMASK_DRIVERS ALIAS ${p})
 endforeach (p)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/plastic/CMakeLists.txt b/code/plastic/CMakeLists.txt
index be40539d3..e3fc430d3 100644
--- a/code/plastic/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/plastic/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,12 +10,20 @@ set (PLASTIC  "plastic_dislotwin"
               "plastic_phenoplus"
     )
 
-# compile module
-foreach (p ${PLASTIC})
-    add_library (${p} "${p}.f90")
-endforeach (p)
-
-# set libraries/modules for linking
-foreach (p ${PLASTIC})
-    set (DAMASK_LIB ${DAMASK_LIB} ${p})
-endforeach (p)
\ No newline at end of file
+# compile module and cumulatively link the
+# compiled libraries
+add_library (DAMASK_PLASTIC "plastic_dislotwin.f90"
+                            "plastic_disloUCLA.f90"
+                            "plastic_isotropic.f90"
+                            "plastic_j2.f90"
+                            "plastic_phenopowerlaw.f90"
+                            "plastic_titanmod.f90"
+                            "plastic_nonlocal.f90"
+                            "plastic_none.f90"
+                            "plastic_phenoplus.f90")
+target_link_libraries(DAMASK_PLASTIC DAMASK_DRIVERS)
+# foreach (p ${PLASTIC})
+#     add_library (${p} "${p}.f90")
+#     target_link_libraries(${p} DAMASK_DRIVERS)
+#     add_library (DAMASK_DRIVERS ALIAS ${p})
+# endforeach (p)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/code/source/CMakeLists.txt b/code/source/CMakeLists.txt
index 780a8ffac..cd9475ee3 100644
--- a/code/source/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/source/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,12 +10,10 @@ set (SOURCE "source_thermal_dissipation"
             "source_vacancy_thermalfluc"
     )
 
-# compile modules for source
-foreach (p ${SOURCE})
+# compile module and cumulatively link the
+# compiled libraries
+foreach (p ${KINEMATICS})
     add_library (${p} "${p}.f90")
-endforeach (p)
-
-# set libraries/modules for linking
-foreach (p ${SOURCE})
-    set (DAMASK_LIB ${DAMASK_LIB} ${p})
+    target_link_libraries(${p} DAMASK_DRIVERS)
+    add_library (DAMASK_DRIVERS ALIAS ${p})
 endforeach (p)
\ No newline at end of file