Note: This is documentation for version 5.0 of Source. For a different version of Source, select the relevant space by using the Spaces menu in the toolbar above

3. Running Urban Scenarios

Overview

Running a scenario is the Urban Developer process of applying observed time series inputs or drivers to the currently selected scenario. Running the scenario and viewing the results in the Results Manager is the third step in Urban Scenario configuration (Figure 1). 

Figure 1. Urban Scenario run configuration options


After a scenario run, you can see the results in the Source Results Manager.

Before running a scenario, you must:

  • Construct a model in the Urban Developer schematic editor using an appropriate configuration of nodes and links, and adjust node properties as required
  • Configure the appropriate climate data, including rainfall.
  • Use the Parameters area of the Source Project Explorer to select the outputs to record.
  • Select the Simulation Type

The model can then be run using the ‘Run’ button on the main Source toolbar.

Shown in Figure 1 above and Figure 2, there are two simulation configurations available for Urban runs:

  1. Urban Configuration
    • selecting this option with fixed Appliances configured in the Urban Settings will run the scenario using the number of dwellings, occupancy and end-use efficiency ratings and distributions as specified in the Urban Settings
    • selecting this option with Sampling enabled in the Urban Settings will run the scenario for the number of dwellings specified in the behavioural node, but occupancy and end-use efficiencies will be distributed among these houses according to the distributions specified in the Sampling configuration 
  2. Urban Combination Configuration. This scenario run option will generate Average Demands, for a single dwelling, for each possible combination of occupancy and end-use efficiency as specified in the Appliances option in  Urban Settings. This builds a database of average dwelling demands which can be used to generate bulk water demands in the urban demand model of a Source Water User. 
Figure 2. Selecting Urban Scenario run configurations


Contents

Recording Model Outputs

After setting up a scenario you must select the model outputs of interest.

When you run a model, every node and link produces results in the form of predicted water flows, volumes and other data outputs specific to each node and link. Some node or link types can produce many data outputs. Urban Developer does not automatically record all possible outputs of all nodes and links. You must use the Parameters area of the Project Explorer to select which outputs to record.

In general, the more outputs you record, the longer the simulation will take, though this depends on exactly what you record: recording mass-balance is more computationally intensive than recording inflow, for example.

Urban Developer automatically saves the list of model outputs selected for recording into the project file, however Urban Developer does not automatically save the model run results themselves. You must save or export the model run results using the options in the Results Manager.

Errors and warnings

If the scenario run has any associated warnings or errors, these will be displayed in the Log Reporter.

Acknowledgements

This material has been adapted from:

eWater Cooperative Research Centre (2011) Urban Developer User Guide: Urban Developer v1.0.0, eWater Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra, 29 June 2011. ISBN 978-1-921543-40-1