Web based hydraulic modelling

With the next generation of the world wide web upon us, and more and more complex computer applications being hosted in the web environment, it is inevitable that hydraulic modelling will soon have its place on the web.

This paper presents a case study that uses an open source solution base to build a robust platform to view real time monitoring data and run hydrologic and hydraulic models within a web environment. The application allows the end-user full control of hydraulic model inputs and enables them to create, delete, edit, and run “what if” scenarios under a full parent/child implementation of scenario management.

The case study is based on a water supply model however the application has been built and tested for integration with many types of hydrologic and hydraulic models and modelling software. The application can utilise base data from Google Maps, run within Google Earth, or conversely use user defined base data. The application is fully secure and only allows access to invested stakeholders or interested parties.

Using the now commonplace web hosting model, the burden of heavy computational engines is transferred to the host server and the end-user only requires a web browser and an internet connection. The web application makes it possible to organise and analyse data spatially, run scenarios, and view results on interactive maps as well as with tables and charts. The web integration allows modellers, managers, and community representatives in different locations to coordinate and share information in real time with an easy to use interface.

The end-user has access to more computing power and can immediately utilise the latest version of their system model on the server. They can also access real-time pressure, event and flow information from their network if this has been equipped with web-based monitoring.

This is the future and it is available now.