Overview: Triwaco, (geo)hydrological modelling environment      
 

triwaco has been developed by Royal Haskoning. Since the first version in 1980 it has developed to a modelling environment which is used to support policy development, research and planning in the field of groundwater, surface water and ecology.

triwaco offers an integrated modelling environment for unsaturated, saturated, drainage/infiltration and surface water flow. The modular and open structure assures easy linkage between different models, like SOBEK or ArcView/GIS.

Clear and structured modelling

triwaco users enjoy a working environment which allows them to define hydrological situations in physical terms while they can rely on a proper translation of this conceptual model into mathmatics of a numerical engine.

triwaco is designed for an easy and structured way of moving from a conceptual model to a final calibrated model and further to scenario and postprocessing calculations.

The working environment is designed in such a way that it provides the user with real time information on modelling progress. The user can also readily see if revision of data sets or parameters are needed due to input change, i.e. parameter map modification or parameter allocation.

Since parameters are defined as GIS maps (i.e. independent from a grid) and are stored with the model it is possible to fully reproduce a model and, subsequently, it is easy to make a another model, based on the same initial data but with a different grid.

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Scenario management

In most cases a model is used to predict the consequenses of changes made to the watersystem. These changes usually concern only a few model parameters. Therefore triwaco has introduced so-called scenario management.

For a particular scenario a data set is created with parameters linked to the final data set. Only parameters that need to be altered for that scenario have to be specified.

The advantage is that for each scenario it is immediately clear which parameters are altered for that particular scenario simulation. Secondly the calibrated model remains intact, thus enhancing the reproducibility of the results.

Modular structure
One of the distinct advantages of triwaco is its modular structure and flexibility. Various modules are available for:

- grid generation
- surface water flow
- groundwater recharge and unsaturated zone
- groundwater flow in saturated zone
- automatic calibration
- reliability of modelled results
- water balance for random areas in space and time
- path lines and solute transport
- residence times and capture zones of sources and sinks
- automatic determination of groundwater systems

Additional modules calculate:

- (ground)water quality predictions
- surface water quality predictions
- land subsidence
- agricultural damage
- hydro-ecological forecasting (nature and agriculture)

The modular structure assures easy expansion of the capabilities by simply adding a module. Additional modules can be purchased and added at any time. These modules are either standard or may be custom designed for specific modelling requests.

Interaction with groundwater and surface water system

A unique feature of triwaco is the so called TOPSYSTEM, which handles the interaction between the groundwater system, unsaturated zone and the surface drainage/infiltration system. Four different drainage levels can be assigned depending on the selected type of ‘topsystem”, each with unique drainage-/ infiltration characteristics.

Watercourses, faults and tubes may be defined by line-elements in multiple layers. In combination with the TOPSYSTEM can simulate virtually any water system. On a regional scale from a delta to karstic terrain and on a local scale from complex drainage systems to entire artificial recharge & recovery schemes.

triwaco offers an open structure for easy linkage between different models within or outside the triwaco working environment . For example the interaction between groundwater and individual watercourses (defined as line elements) can easily be linked to the branches of a hydraulic surface water model. This link is defined conceptually and will work for any numerical discretization.


 
  triwaco offers an integrated modelling environment for unsaturated, saturated, drainage/infiltration and surface water flow.
 
triwaco is unique in

 

 
  • Integrated simulation of surface water, unsaturated zone, drainage/infiltration system and groundwater
  • Easy and structured model setup
  • Efficient and organized scenario management
  • Keep track of changes in parameters and modelling progress
  • Fully customisable model checking
  • Parameter GIS maps are independent from the calculation grid
  • Parameters defined and stored according to their actual physical properties
  • Watercourses, faults and tubes defined by line-elements
  • Import, export, processing, creating of parameter maps
  • Built-in geo-processing for 1D to 3D and time interpolation
  • Expression evaluator with excel-like expressions
  • Straightforward in creating different models with the same parameter GIS maps
  • Interactive path line calculation and visualisation
  • Visualisation of parameters and modelled results
   
  Creating different models with the same parameter GIS maps. Here TRIWACO-FLAIRS and MODFLOW.
  Watercourses are defined as line elements. Scenario's with different waterlevels is simple with triwaco scenario management. With TRIPLOT the results are easy to visualize.