How to Display Results

Graphical output is divided into two main parts. In the first part, variables which change spatially throughout the transport domain are displayed by means of contour maps, isolines, or isobands (Results – Graphical Display on the Data Tab of the Navigator Bar, or Options->Graph Type). Additional information such as boundary fluxes and/or soil hydraulic properties are displayed using x-y graphs (Results – Other Information on the Data Tab of the Navigator Bar, or using the Results Menu).

Results of a simulation (pressure heads, water contents, temperatures, velocities, and concentrations) can be displayed by means of contour maps, Isolines, isobands, color points, color edges, spectral maps, and/or velocity vectors (Graph Type at the View Tab of the Navigator Bar Bar or Options->Graph Type->Isolines), and/or by animation using both contour and spectral maps. The number of colors in the color spectrum, as well as the numerical increment between isolines, can be selected using the Edit Isoband Value and Color Spectra dialog window. Contour and spectral maps may be drawn for the pressure head, water content, temperature, solute concentration (in the equilibrium or nonequilibrium phase), and/or velocity. Animation of these four variables is also possible (Flow Animation on the Results version of the Edit Bar, or using Results->Time Layer->Animation). Graphs of all variables along the boundaries (Boundary-Line Chart on the Results version of the Edit Bar, or using Results->Charts->Boundary Line), as well as those along any selected cross-section (Cross-Section Chart on the Results version of the Edit Bar or Results->Charts->Cross-Section) can be readily obtained.

The entire finite element mesh, the boundary nodes, and the numbering of nodes, elements and/or edges, can be displayed also (using the Display Options dialog window, or Options->Display Options->Edit), together with isolines and spectral graphs. Users may zoom into a certain part of the transport domain, and can enlarge or reduce the transport domain, among other features.

Flow Animation is an alternative to displaying results at one particular time. Distributions during flow animation are displayed continuously at consecutive times, thereby visualizing the flow and transport process. Note, however, that display times are defined by the print time intervals specified in the input data file. This means that the print times must be at constant intervals so that the time scale of the flow animation will not be distorted. In other words, undistorted flow animation requires that the print time intervals be constant. The speed of the flow animation depends on the hardware being used, i.e., the speed of the microprocessor and graphical card.

See the Results Menu topic for a full description of available display options.

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