6.11 Model Outputs

6.11.1 Command Status

Optional - 3D features can be optionally added to the model output implementations specifed during 2D HD model construction.

6.11.2 Description

This section describes model output features specific to the 3D hydrodynamic simulation class. It is an extension of 2D HD model outputs (see Section 5.18).

6.11.2.1 Output Model Implementations

The output model implementations for the 3D HD simulation class are the same as those in Table 5.73, with additional implementations for 3D presented in Table 6.12. Each 3D output type is described with configuration examples in the following sub-sections.

Table 6.12: Output Model Implementations
Ouptut Type Description
Profile 3D vertical profile output defined at discrete point locations.

6.11.2.2 Output Block

The available 3D HD simulation class output block commands extend those in Table 5.75 and are presented in Table 6.13.

Table 6.13: Output Block Commands
Command Description
Vertical Averaging Optional - Defines the vertical coordinate type and range over which 3D results are averaged to produce point or 2D mesh outputs.
6.11.2.2.1 Output Parameters

Output parameters for the 3D HD Simulation Class extend those presented in Table 5.76 and are listed in Table 6.14. User specified output parameters are only required for points, profiles and mesh output types. All other output types report automatically configured output parameters.

Table 6.14: Output Parameters - 3D HD Simulation Class
Ouptut Parameter Description Units
W Vertical velocity. m/s
TURBZ_TKE Turbulent kinetic energy. m2/s2
TURBZ_EPS Dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy. m2/s3
TURBZ_L Turbulence length scale. m
TURBZ_SPFSQ Shear frequency squared (S^2). 1/s2
TURBZ_BVFSQ Brunt-Vaisala frequency squared (N^2). 1/s2
TURBZ_NUM Eddy viscosity. m2/s
TURBZ_NUH Thermal diffusivity. m2/s
TURBZ_NUS Scalar diffusivity. m2/s
TURBZ Outputs all turbulence parameters mentioned above. Mixed (uses each variable’s native units)

6.11.3 Mesh

Mesh outputs are described in Section 5.18.3 and apply equally to the 3D HD Simulation Class. An additional command can be used to specify how 3D results are depth averaged to provide 2D output, where required, for NetCDF, XMDF and datv output types.

As summarised in Table 6.15, NetCDF is the only output type that natively supports fully 3D output and is therefore the recommended 3D mesh output format. XMDF and datv support 2D output only and therefore require depth averaging.

If no depth averaging method is specified the following defaults apply.

  • NetCDF writes fully 3D results
  • XMDF and datv write results averaged over the full water depth
Table 6.15: Mesh Output Format - 2D And 3D Compatiblity Matrix
Output Format 2D 3D
NetCDF Yes Yes
XMDF Yes No
Datv Yes No

The available depth averaging method options are listed in Table 6.16. Examples of each depth averaging method are provided below and apply to all mesh output types (NetCDF, XMDF and datv).

Table 6.16: Depth Averaging Methods - 3D HD Simulation Class
Vertical Averaging Method Description
depth-all Averaged over the entire depth.
depth-range Averaged over the vertical distance between two specified depths measured positive down from the water surface (zero).
height-range Averaged over the vertical distance between two specified heights measured positive up from the bed (zero).
elevation-range Averaged over the vertical distance between two specified absolute elevations measured positive up from the model datum.
sigma-range Averaged over the vertical distance between two specified proportions (0.0 to 1.0) of the water depth measured positive up from the bed (0.0) to the water surface (1.0).
layer-range-top Averaged over the vertical distance spanned by two specified layers inclusive. Layer 1 is the top layer and layer number increases positive down. If the same layer is specified only that layer is output.
layer-range-bot Averaged over the vertical distance spanned by two specified layers inclusive. Layer 1 is the bottom layer and layer number increases positive up. If the same layer is specified only that layer is output.
Example averaging over the full water column.

! Depth-All
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Depth-All ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Depth 1 (m), {99999.} Depth 2 (m)
End Output

Example averaging over the top 2.5 metres of the water column.

! Depth-Range
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Depth-Range, 0, 2.5 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Depth 1 (m), {99999.} Depth 2 (m)
End Output

Example averaging from 1 m to 4.5 m above the bed.

! Height-Range
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Height-Range, 1.0, 4.5 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Height 1 (m), {99999.} Height 2 (m)
End Output

Example averaging between absolute elevations 25.5 m and 30.0 m in the model datum.

! Elevation-Range
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Elevation-Range, 25.5, 30.0 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Elevation 1 (mRL), {99999.} Elevation 2 (mRL)
End Output

Example averaging over the middle 50% of the water column.

! Sigma-Range
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Sigma-Range, 0.25, 0.75 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Sigma 1 (0-1), {99999.} Sigma 2 (0-1)
End Output

Example averaging over layers 2 to 5 from the surface downward inclusive.

! Layer-Range-Top
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Layer-Range-Top, 2, 5 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Layer 1, {99999.} Layer 2
End Output

Example averaging over layers 2 to 4 from the bottom upward inclusive.

! Layer-Range-Bot
Output == mesh_output_format ! NetCDF, XMDF or datv
  Output Parameters == h, v, w ! Water level (mRL), velocity (m/s), vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Layer-Range-Bot, 2, 4 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Layer 1, {99999.} Layer 2
End Output

6.11.4 Point

Point outputs are described in Section 5.18.4 and apply equally to the 3D HD Simulation Class. An additional command may be issued to specify how 3D results are depth averaged to provide 2D output, if required. These commands are the same as described in Section 6.11.3. An example output is shown below, where averaging is over the second to fifth layers from the bed. If no vertical averaging is specified then depth-all is applied.

For a given point location the vert_min and vert_max attributes will override the default vertical averaging limits (0,99999.) or those specified via the Vertical Averaging command.

! ADCP Calibration Points
Output == Points ! CSV timeseries at each output point
  Read GIS PO == ..\model\gis\3d_po_ACDPs_001_P.shp ! Point locations
  Output Parameters == h, d, v ! Water level (mRL or ft), depth (m or ft), velocity (m/s of ft/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Vertical Averaging == Layer-Range-Bot, 2, 5 ! {Depth-All} | Depth-Range | Height-Range | Elevation-Range | Sigma-Range | Layer-Range-Top | Layer-Range-Bot, {0.0} Layer 1, {99999.} Layer 2
End Output

6.11.5 Profile

Profile outputs are specified in the same manner to point outputs, except profile outputs include depth information (so do not require depth averaging specification) and are written in NetCDF format. A points layer that locates the profiles is required within the output block. An example output block is shown below. Vertical averaging is not required for profile outputs as the output is inherently 3D.

! ADCP Calibration Points
Output == Profile ! CSV timeseries at each output point
  Read GIS PO == ..\model\gis\3d_po_ACDPs_001_P.shp ! Point locations
  Output Parameters == v, w ! Velocity (m/s), Vertical velocity (m/s)
  Output Interval == 900. ! {0.0} (s)
  Suffix == MendsSt ! {No default}
End Output