PhD Thesis - staffweb - University of Greenwich

PhD Thesis by John Ewer.of the performance overhead that would be incurred for 3-D display formation. A more globalapproach to investigating the solution data, at any stage of the processing, is needed so thatsolution features are not missed. Quality data visualisation using contour nets and vectors arerecommended though it may prove necessary to use transparencies and cutaways in order toprevent foreground data from obscuring background data. Streamlines can also be used to givevisual meaning to flows.The fire field modelling area is likely to benefit from recent visualisation techniques such as"fogs" and Virtual Reality in order to help bridge the gap between the fire field modeller anddesigners or non-CFD specialists who need to comprehend and make use of the simulation data.9.4 Pattern matching for KBS control and status reportingIt is anticipated that some means can be found to detect recirculations and other flow formationevents in order to fine tune the simulation controls to give reliable but still optimal numericalhandling. This may need to implemented, at least initially, with simple status monitors andquestioning of the computer user who will be used as a non-specialist expert for the visualclassification of a data visualisation. This would be used where numerical or other programmaticmeans of classification of simulation features are non trivial or prove to be unworkable.Work is already progressing into more reliable and comprehensive techniques for solution statusreporting based on the analysis of residual graphs. This new type of analysis attempts to classifyconvergence trends and behaviour over time and over successive sweeps so that qualitativedecisions can be made about how the simulation can be optimised and to monitor for potentialproblems so that they can be handled before ever becoming critical (i.e. solution threatening).9.5 Enhanced physics and numerical methodsThere are a number of diverse techniques that need to be added to the prototype system in order9-126