Bringing TUFLOW to the Cloud: How Flood Platform Makes Modelling Smoother

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A Simple Way to Get Started

For many flood modellers, TUFLOW has long been a trusted engine for handling the complexities of 1D and 2D hydraulic modelling. However, the environment in which users operate is evolving. As cloud-based workflows become the norm, Flood Platform offers a streamlined, collaborative space where TUFLOW users can collaborate more effectively, with fewer technical barriers. 

One of the first steps in that journey is uploading your model files. Once logged in, simply drag and drop your compressed model files (with or without results) into the Flood Platform browser window. There’s no local installation, no machine locking, and no configuration headaches. The setup is clean and cloud-ready, allowing you to concentrate on your models rather than admin tasks.

If you want to run your simulations in Flood Platform, you’ll need to add your TUFLOW license under your profile settings. You can access your profile settings from the bottom left corner of the interface, open the Licences section, and upload your TUFLOW Cloud container file. Once saved, the license will be ready for use.

Seeing Simulation Health at a Glance

Whether you are running simulations or interrogating uploaded results, Flood Platform gives you a clear window into simulation performance. Each TUFLOW simulation includes a general tab that functions as a live dashboard, highlighting the key indicators that modellers and reviewers rely on to understand stability and progress. 

Instead of digging through log files or creating graphs in Excel, you can easily monitor computation progress, mass balance behaviour, warnings, and wetting patterns as they develop. The platform presents familiar TUFLOW diagnostics - from total volume in and out, to volume error, to the number of wet cells - in an intuitive and easy-to-understand format.

For TUFLOW Classic users, cumulative mass error and negative depths provide insight into convergence. Meanwhile, HPC users can keep track of dtStar and the control numbers affecting timestep behaviour. These metrics are crucial for determining whether a model is behaving as expected, and Flood Platform consolidates them into a single, accessible view.

Exploring Results in an Interactive Viewer

The results viewer brings your simulation results to life. When you open the Map View, you’ll find a clean workspace where you can explore outputs such as depth, water level, velocity, hazards, and more, all displayed on your choice of street map or aerial photography. Selecting any location instantly displays its values in the Inspector panel, making it easy to interrogate areas of interest or validate specific behaviours. 

Additionally, vector layers such as velocity arrows or Plot Output objects provide further clarity, helping you understand not just where water is, but how it’s moving. Flood Platform also supports a wide range of TUFLOW check files, allowing you to visualise boundaries, elevations, materials, domain extents, flow constrictions, zpoints and more. These layers are invaluable for diagnosing issues with model setup and ensuring your inputs behave as intended. 

A More Connected Modelling Experience

What emerges from this workflow is a modelling experience that feels lighter, clearer and more collaborative.  Flood Platform doesn't change what TUFLOW does; it enhances how you interact with it. By removing the friction of local installations, surfacing simulation health in real time, and providing rich visualisation tools in the browser, it allows modellers and reviewers to focus on understanding flood behaviour and delivering meaningful insights. 

For experienced TUFLOW users, the addition of Flood Platform feels natural. For newcomers, it lowers the barrier to entry. Furthermore, for teams working across locations or disciplines, it creates a shared environment where models, results and decisions come together seamlessly. 

Register for our upcoming webinar and discover how to manage your TUFLOW data effortlessly. Can't attend live? No problem! You can still register to gain access to the recording, presentation slides, and handouts.

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