Project files and data

1D network

Collections of connected 1D nodes saved with file extension '.dat', (Flood Modeller 1D model files)

• Right click on the networks section of the project view and select 'Add item', then browse to your dat file

• Click on the 'Add 1D Network' button in the main toolbar ('Home' tab) then browse to dat file

• Click on the 'New' button in the main toolbar (networks section of 'Home' tab), define details of your new network and then go to the 'Model Build' toolbar tab to start adding nodes to define a new network.

Event data

Subsets of your 1D networks that define variations from the default boundary data (as defined within the network), e.g. different historical flood events (flow time series), rainfall events (1-in-100 year storm) or tidal cycles (water level time-series). These files have extension '.ied' and have a similar format to 1D network (dat) files

• Right-click on the event data section of the project view and select 'Add item', then browse to your ied file

• Select the subset of nodes to add to your new event file from your active 1D network (in the map view or network or nodes tables). Right-click on the network table and select the export function. You can then export the selected data to a new event file. You can then edit these data by making the new event file active in the interface).

Initial conditions

The default initial conditions settings for your 1D network (contained in the dat file) can be overridden by a separate initial conditions file. This is a text file that lists all network nodes and provides key parameter settings for each node. The extension can be 'zzs' or 'iic'.

• Right-click on the initial conditions section of the project view and select 'Add item', then browse to your zzc or iic file

• Specify a simulation to output a snapshot file to be used as initial conditions. When the simulation is run, this will be added to your project automatically

Spatial data

Both 1D and 2D simulations can use spatial data. 2D models are mainly defined by these data types, whereas 1D models use spatial data for flood mapping (in results post-processing). References to spatial data are defined in the associated model simulation files. You can use this section of the project to store references to your spatial datasets.

• You can view these data in the Flood Modeller map view by adding them to the layers window.

• However, in some cases, you may not wish to visualise these spatial datasets, but still associate with your project. In this case, right-click on the spatial data section of the project view and select 'Add item', then browse to your spatial dataset.

Associated files

This section of the project can store any files. This enables you to add references to files that are not part of your models but may be directly relevant to your project, eg photos, reports, presentations.

• Right click on the associated data section of the project view and select 'Add item', then browse to your file.

Simulations

All models types are defined by a simulation file. If you are investigating different scenarios then each one will require a simulation file that references all input data and details your associated simulation settings. 1D simulation files are in text format with extension 'ief'. 2D simulations are xml format ('.xml'). Linked models will use a combination of these files.

• Right click on the simulations section of the project view and select 'Add item', then browse to an existing ief or 2D xml file.

• Right-click on the simulations section of the project view and select 'New 1D simulation'. The 1D model definition window will be displayed enabling you to define a new ief file.

• Right-click on the simulations section of the project view and select 'New 2D simulation'. The 2D model definition window will be displayed enabling you to define a new xml file. You can also add a reference to a 1D simulation file here for linked models.

• Double-click on an existing simulation file. The relevant simulation definition window will be displayed with the selected file loaded. You can then define revised settings and use the 'Save As' option to create a new simulation, which will then be added to your project automatically.

• New 1D, 2D or linked simulations can also be defined by clicking the relevant new simulation button in the simulations tab of the main toolbar.

1D event data

.ied

Replaces default boundary data assigned to boundary nodes in the 1D network file. The event file can contain one or multiple boundary nodes from your dat file (QTbdy, HTbdy, hydrology boundaries etc). For each file, you can define an alternative set of inputs, for example a time-series representing a historic flood event or calculated probabilistic data series.

You can add one or multiple event files to your 1D simulation.

1D initial conditions

.zzs/.iic

Replaces default initial conditions data specified in the 1D network file. The initial conditions file can be created as a snapshot output of conditions at a specified time within a model simulation (that uses your 1D network file). This is useful when one simulation follows on from another, for example a flood forecast model might use the previous day’s output as the start point of a new run. Initial conditions can also be generated as an output from a steady state simulation that uses your 1D network.

Each 1D simulation can only use one initial conditions file.

1D sections

.sec

Replaces default cross-section data defined in river section nodes in the 1D network file. The format is the same as an event file (ied file) and each node is defined in the same format as the network file (dat file).

This can be used to define different development scenarios quickly for the same model, thus use one base network file and add on different cross-section data to model different options for flood defences.

You can add one or multiple section files to your 1D simulation.

2D topographic features

.shp/.dbf

These files are used to override elevation data defined in the 2D ground grid of a 2D model. Polygon shapefiles contain one or multiple polygon features, coupled with an attribute file (dbf file) that defines revised elevations for each polygon.

These can be used to define flow paths 'missed' by the main ground grid, for example, arches under bridges. These inputs can also be used to define different development scenarios quickly for the same model, using one base ground grid and adding on different topographic shapefiles to model different options for flood defences.

You can add one or multiple topographic feature files to your 2D simulation.

2D boundary

.shp/.dbf

.ied

.dat

.csv

Your 2D model will always require some form of boundary condition for each simulation as this defines the water entering the modelled area. These data are always added via a shapefile, which defines the boundary location (as a point, line or polygon). However, there are multiple options available for assigning boundary values to your boundary shapefile. These are:

• 1D model event file (ied file)

• 1D model network defining hydrological nodes (dat file)

• Text file (csv format)

You can add one or multiple boundaries to your 2D simulation.

River network-2D link lines

.shp/.dbf

If you want to link a river network to your 2D model, you must add a polyline shapefile to define which 1D nodes link to which 2D grid cells. The shapefile attribute file will contain references to 1D model nodes. Flood Modeller provides tools to help produce this shapefile and associated attribute data.

This type of file is a special case of a 2D boundary as the linked 1D model provides an input of water to your 2D model (note the connection is two-way).

You can only link your 2D model to one 1D model. However, links may be defined by either one or multiple link line shapefiles.

River-Urban network link-reference file

.csv

If you want to link a river network to an urban network then - in addition to referencing the urban network file (.inp) in your simulation file (.ief ) - you need to specify a separate text file (csv format) detailing urban and river nodes are connected. Flood Modeller provides tools to define this link file.

You can only link your river network to one urban network and links must be defined in a single csv file.

Urban network-2D link-element file

.shp/.dbf

If you want to link a 2D model to an urban network then - in addition to referencing the urban network file (.inp) in your simulation file (.xml) - you need to specify a separate point shapefile detailing the location of connected urban nodes within your 2D grid. The shapefile attribute file will contain references to the urban nodes. Flood Modeller provides tools to define this link file.

You can only link your 2D model to one urban network and links must be defined in a single shapefile.

1D-TUFLOW link lines

.mif/.mid

If you want to link a 1D model to a TUFLOW 2D model then - in addition to referencing the TUFLOW model in your simulation file (ief file) - you need to specify a separate MapInfo format polyline file detailing the location of 1D nodes within your 2D grid. Flood Modeller provides tools to define this link file.

You can only link your 1D model to one TUFLOW model and links must be defined in a single MapInfo file.

2D roughness grid/roughness polygons

.asc

.shp/.dbf

You can specify a global roughness for your 2D model; a constant value applied across the whole modelled area. However, you have the option of adding one or more roughness files to override the global roughness in selected areas or across your whole model. These files can be in raster grid format (.asc files) or polygon shapefile, with roughness defined in the associated attribute file.

Extension

Contents

zzs

The results of steady state runs. The format is the same as that of the initial conditions stored in the '.dat' file (ASCII)

zzn

The output from an unsteady run containing the flow, stage, Froude number, velocity, unit mode and unit state at each saved time step. The latter two are used to store supplementary output such as sluice gate control parameters and weir modes (Binary)

zzl

The file produced during an unsteady run to store general run parameters and a list of labels (Binary).If 'y' is entered in response to the write 1D Quality file prompt extra data will be appended to this file

zzr

Tabulated results from an unsteady run

zzd

Diagnostic output file. This should be inspected if warning messages are displayed which refer to the '.zzd' file (ASCII)

cal

This user prepared file contains time series data, eg calibration data, for use with the graphical and tabular post processors (ASCII)

cus

A user prepared file containing data, such as observed levels, for showing on longitudinal sections (ASCII)

zzm

File containing maximum and minimum levels that occurred during the run (Binary)

zzt

Diagnostic file containing model network data. Only produced if monitor number 3 is requested (ASCII)

zzu

Diagnostic file containing certain unit characteristic data. For Flood Modeller this file is usually empty, unless running in boundary mode when rating (Q-h) curves are written here (ASCII)

ott

File containing data for transfer to the OTTA program. Only produced if 'y' is entered in response to the 'write OTTA file' prompt (Binary)

zzb

Intermediate results for hydrological boundaries; catchment characteristics and intermediate variables (ASCII)

zzh

Intermediate results for hydrological boundaries; hydrograph values and volumetric analysis (ASCII)

Extension

Contents

ini

This is a file created parallelly with the .inp file, and contains SWMM5 model feature details

rpt

This is a report file which contains summary statistics displayed based on results found at every computational time step

out

It is a binary file which saves model output