TUFLOW FV User Manual 2026.2
  1. 10  Model Construction: PT Simulation Class
  • TUFLOW FV User Manual
  • Overview
  • 1  Introduction
  • 2  Architecture
  • 3  Getting Started
  • 4  Folders, Control Files and Data Layers
  • 5  Model Construction: 2D HD Simulation Class
  • 6  Model Construction: 3D HD Simulation Class
  • 7  Model Construction: AD Simulation Class
  • 8  Model Construction: ST Simulation Class
  • 9  Model Construction: WQ Simulation Class
  • 10  Model Construction: PT Simulation Class
  • 11  Managing And Starting Simulations
  • References
  • Appendices
    • A  Commands
    • B  Science

Table of contents

  • 10.1 Overview
  • 10.2 Particle Tracking Configuration
    • 10.2.1 Command Status
    • 10.2.2 Description
  • 10.3 Initial Conditions
  • 10.4 Boundary Conditions
  • 10.5 Hydraulic Structures
  • 10.6 Model Outputs
    • 10.6.1 Command Status
    • 10.6.2 Description
      • 10.6.2.1 Output Model Implementations
      • 10.6.2.2 Output Block
        • 10.6.2.2.1 Output Parameters
    • 10.6.3 Mesh
    • 10.6.4 Points
    • 10.6.5 Profiles
    • 10.6.6 Polyline
    • 10.6.7 Structure
    • 10.6.8 Mass Balance
    • 10.6.9 Mass
    • 10.6.10 Restart File

10  Model Construction: PT Simulation Class

10.1 Overview

This chapter describes how to construct a Particle Tracking (PT) simulation class in TUFLOW FV.

The PT simulation class may be applied to multiple simulation classes and can be coupled with 2D HD, 3D HD, Advection Dispersion, Sediment Transport or Water Quality simulations. This chapter assumes familiarity with the underlying simulation class being used and documents particle specific model classes and configurations.

10.2 Particle Tracking Configuration

10.2.1 Command Status

Required.

10.2.2 Description

Particle tracking is configured using the Particle Tracking Control File command.

! Configure Particle Tracking Simulation
Particle Tracking Control File == ..\ptm\PT_005.fvptm       ! {No default} Particle tracking control file filepath

The setup of the Particle Tracking Control File, and therefore the configuration of a particle tracking simulation, is described in the Sediment Transport and Particle Tracking Module User Manual.

Other than the above and output specifications (see Section 10.6), no other particle tracking related commands are recognised by the TUFLOW FV control file.

10.3 Initial Conditions

No initial conditions can be set within the TUFLOW FV control file for the particle tracking module. These are set within the particle tracking control file as described in the Sediment Transport and Particle Tracking Module User Manual.

10.4 Boundary Conditions

No boundary conditions can be set within the TUFLOW FV control file for the particle tracking module, other than use of a transport file, which is the same as described in Section 7.11.10. Other boundary conditions are described in the Sediment Transport and Particle Tracking Module User Manual.

10.5 Hydraulic Structures

The simulation of particles through hydraulic structures is not supported.

10.6 Model Outputs

10.6.1 Command Status

Optional - Eulerian model outputs can be optionally added to the model output implementations specified during 2D HD, 3D HD, AD, ST or WQ model construction.

10.6.2 Description

Lagrangian (point by point) particle tracking related outputs are set in the particle tracking control file as described in the Sediment Transport and Particle Tracking Module User Manual.

Limited Eulerian (cell by cell) outputs can be specified in the TUFLOW FV control file.

10.6.2.1 Output Model Implementations

The only supported output model implementation configurable within the TUFLOW FV control file for Eulerian particle tracking results is the mesh output type.

10.6.2.2 Output Block

10.6.2.2.1 Output Parameters

The Eulerian output parameters supported for particle tracking simulations are:

  • PTM_N: Mass concentration of particles from group N (N = 1, 2, …) in each water column cell
  • PTM_BED_N: Mass concentration of particles from group N (N = 1, 2, …) in each bed cell

10.6.3 Mesh

Mesh output blocks are described in Section 5.18.3 and Section 6.11.3. These can be extended to include particle tracking keywords PTM_N and PTM_BED_N, where N is an integer representing a particle group.

! NetCDF mesh output format
Output == netcdf                                ! Mesh output written to NetCDF
    Output Parameters == PTM_1, PTM_BED_1       ! Particle group 1 water column concentration (g/m^3) and particle group 1 bed concentration (g/m^2)
    Output Interval == 3600.                    ! {0.0} Output interval (s)
    Suffix == PTM                               ! {No default} Output file suffix
End Output

10.6.4 Points

Point format is not supported for Eulerian particle outputs.

10.6.5 Profiles

Profile format is not supported for Eulerian particle outputs.

10.6.6 Polyline

Polyline format is not supported for Eulerian particle outputs.

10.6.7 Structure

The structure output is not supported for Eulerian particle outputs.

10.6.8 Mass Balance

Mass balance output is not supported for Eulerian particle outputs.

10.6.9 Mass

Mass output is not supported for Eulerian particle outputs.

10.6.10 Restart File

Particle restart files are generated and read using commands in the particle tracking control file as described in the Sediment Transport and Particle Tracking Module User Manual.

9  Model Construction: WQ Simulation Class
11  Managing And Starting Simulations