Computational Platforms in Environmental Modeling

Abstract

In environmental modeling field, as environmental engineers, we no longer only address modeling issues in association with fate and transport processes, evaluation of large scale optimal remediation design alternatives or reactive modeling of complex chemical mixtures, but we are also asked or expected to provide these models or simulation tools in computationally user friendly environments. This is directly linked to the significant advances made in information technology field recently. In this new and challenging environment, the computational platforms developed should, by design, provide the user the best transparent environment for access to these complex models. The computational platforms that are at our disposal for this purpose are several and includes platforms such as desktop computer based visual computational tools or GIS based computational tools which also now gives us access to visual computational tool platforms. Multimedia Environmental Simulations Laboratory at Georgia Tech is in the process of developing such computational tools to assist engineers and health scientists to conduct environmental and/or health risk modeling in field applications. As an introduction, some of these software tools which are available for general use in public domain will be Reviewed in this paper. These tools are identified as the A nalytical C ontaminant T ransport analysis S ystem ( ACTS ), S patial A nalysis I nterface S ystem ( SAINTS ), Exposure Risk Analysis System ( RISK and W atershed M odeling for D isaster R esponse ( WMD-R ). In this paper, we describe the general features of ACTS and WMD-R since RISK platform is similar to ACTS and SAINTS platform is similar to WMD-R . Further demonstration of the capabilities of these software platforms with site-specific applications can be found in other publications of the authors as they are referenced in this paper.