Setting up a new application

The RiskWare system provides an open framework of data and tools that can easily be adapted to a new application in a new location.

Defining the scope

The first step involves defining the scope of the intended RiskWare application in terms of the types of accidents to be considered. The basic components of the system include:

the GIS with background maps and spatial input data;
a set of linked data bases with:
- meteorological and hydrological observation data,
- risk objects (primarily chemical plants) with the embedded expert system,
- hazardous chemicals and MSDS;
the basic accident simulation module with
- the spill and evaporation model
- the diagnostic wind model
- the dynamic Gaussian multi-puff model
- the dynamic 3D atmospheric dispersion model
- the TNT and fuel-air-charge explosion models
- the TOXSCREEN river spill model
the real-time emergency management expert system
and a number of optional simulation models:
- dense gas dispersion (based on SLAB)
- river water quality (Lagrangian BLTM)
- soil contamination (1D vertical, VLEACH)
- groundwater contamination (2D horizontal, XGW)
including remote models on high-performance computer servers accessible over the Internet (combined wind, evaporation, and Lagrangian transport model in a Monte-Carlo framework).

They form the core of the RiskWare system.

Defining the application domain

All ESS applications such as AirWare, RiskWare, WaterWare or CityWare require the definition of an application domain, i.e., the geographical area for the which models and data bases as well as the underlying GIS data will be set up.

The minimum useful domain for an urban application is about 10 by 10 km; the maximum extent for the Gaussian (ISC) models is about 30-40 km; however, for a regional application, a larger area can be defined, within which more than one model area is defined.

For WaterWare, the domain is defined by hydropgraphic catchments or subcatchments.

Please note that the application domain should conform to one of the three supported aspect ratios:

square
portrait (3 by 4)
landscape (4 by 3)

Other aspect ratios for the domain and the individual case study area are possible, but require the definition of a new set of layout defaults (may involve additional costs).

The domain (and possible case study areas within the domain) should be defined in terms of their corner points, using the same coordinate system (Gauss-Krüger projection) as all the maps to be used in the system.

Interface language

All ESS applications like AirWare, CityWare, RiskWare and WaterWare are available with an English user interface.

Versions in German, French, Spanish and Italian are also available for some of these systems. Adaptation to a new language can be achieved by translating the (ASCII) text files that define the text elements of the user interface.

These include:

language specific default files (from the directories defaults and acadefaults, for example: lib_english (and its equivalent versions in other languages called: lib_espanol, lib_french, lib_german, lib_italiano).)
the hypertext help and explain files in ${DATAPATH}explain