Integration of a 1-D river model with object-oriented methodology

This article first details the development of an integrated modelling system faster (Flow And Solute Transport in Estuaries and Rivers), which is capable of predicting water elevations, velocities and solute and sediment concentration distributions in wellmixed rivers or narrow estuaries. The model comprises hydrodynamic and solute transport solvers, a user-friendly graphical interface— including data management and storage tools—and graphic and tabular reporting facilities. The faster program, initially written in Fortran, is a numerical modelling program which deploys highly accurate numerical schemes to solve the hydrodynamic and solute transport equations. This model has recently been modified to include a graphical user interface based on an objectoriented methodology, and implemented using the Visual Basic programming language. Details are given herein of the procedures used to combine the Fortran program with a Windows-based programming language, namely Visual Basic. Particular emphasis has been focused on the construction of the interface for unsteady free-surface flow problems. An example application of the model is cited to illustrate the data management capabilities and accuracy of the model when applied to real hydroenvironmental projects.