SMS:ADCIRC Coverage

An ADCIRC coverage is used to build a conceptual model of an ADCIRC project. The conceptual model defines parameters such as model extents, mesh generation options, and boundary conditions.

ADCIRC Conceptual Model Development

The following steps are generally followed when creating an ADCIRC conceptual model:

Define Coastline

The coastline can be defined in any of the following manners:

• Read in an existing coastline file (*.cst) (see Create Coastline). Coastline files include lists of two-dimensional polylines that may be closed or open. Open polylines are converted to feature arcs and are interpreted as open sections of coastline. Closed polylines are converted to arcs and are assigned the attributes of islands.
• Extract a coastline arc from a scatter set using the Scatter Contour to Feature command.
• Digitize a coastline arc using the Create Feature Arc tool.

Define Ocean Boundary

Once the coastline has been created, the ocean boundary can be defined in any of the following manners:

• Use the Define Domain menu command to automatically generate the ocean boundary.
• Digitize the ocean boundary arc using the Create Feature Arc tool.

The ocean boundary can take on a rectangular, semi-circular, or circular shape depending on the coastline form. This will close the domain for the project, giving a defined area where a finite mesh can be created and the ADCIRC model can perform its analysis.

Build Polygons

Build polygons using the Build Polygons menu command found in the Feature Objects menu.

Choose Mesh Generation Method

At this point, a choice must be made to generate the mesh using the LTEA Toolbox or manual mesh generation methods.

LTEA Toolbox

The LTEA Toolbox can also be used to generate a mesh from a bathymetry scatter set and the ADCIRC coverage created in the previous steps.

Manual Mesh Generation

To manually generate a mesh:

• Use the Select Feature Polygon tool and double-click on a polygon to open the 2D Mesh Polygon Properties dialog. It's also possible to select a polygon and then select Attributes from the right-click menu or select a polygon and use the Attributes menu command to open the 2D Mesh Polygon Properties dialog.
• Set the desired mesh options. See the article on mesh generation for an explanation of mesh generation.

Related Topics

• Define Domain
• Coverages
• ADCIRC
• Boundary Conditions
• Linear Truncation Error Analysis (LTEA)
• Meshes
• Model Control
• Spatial Attributes
• Steering