GIS Environment

The bulk of input data to TUFLOW is via standardised GIS layers that TUFLOW creates for you, that you build up and modify within a GIS. Alternatively, GIS layers from other sources can be incorporated (eg. land-use layers, pipe networks).

The user will require a GIS that supports the MapInfo Interchange .mif format (future releases of TUFLOW will also recognise the ArcGIS .shp file format). 3D surface modelling software is also required to extract ground elevations and bathymetry, and is useful for displaying, contouring and interrogating flood surfaces created by TUFLOW. MapInfo with Vertical Mapper (www.mapinfo.com) is the most commonly used GIS/3D TUFLOW model development environment.

Several, small text files in free-form style are used to convey and control information flow, and settings of options. These text files are very flexible and are similar to writing a macro. The preferred text editor is UltraEdit (www.ultraedit.com), which will colour code the files, provide easy access from one file to another and can be set up to run TUFLOW.

For viewing results, both SMS (www.ems-i.com) and WaterRIDE (www.waterride.net) recognise TUFLOW output. Viewing of results in SMS can be carried out without the need for an SMS licence. These products can be used to animate simulations and interrogate model results. Unlike other 2D/1D computational engines, both 1D and 2D domains can be viewed and animated together.

TUFLOW output is also fed back into the GIS as information layers and 3D surfaces. This is particularly effective for producing high quality report figures and maps, and for interrogating results, for example providing peak flood levels at individual properties. In MapInfo, macros are provided to allow time-series graphing of results.

The GIS arrangement enhances the capacity to model, offers great flexibility, and for those who like using GIS, a great work environment. This option keeps software costs well below other similar computational engines.