On line simulation system for industrial accidents

Mathematical models are important tools to evaluate the consequences of possible industrial accidents. These models are often difficult to apply because they require trained users. An on line simulation system with a graphical user interface has been developed and is installed as a server-side application on the internet at the web address http://www.enviroware.it. The system currently contains two models; EXPSYS is suitable to carry out consequence analysis and allows the user to evaluate the area impacted by industrial accidents such as explosions, fires and releases of toxic or flammable gases. TOXFLAM is an analytic model suitable for simulating the atmospheric dispersion of gases at air density. Other simulation models will be added to the system in the future, thanks to the modular structure. The modelling system allows each user to upload her/his own topography files and to georeference them. The topography files are then used both during the input phase, for example to position the source by means of the mouse pointer, and during the output phase for plotting the concentration fields or the area at risk. Each simulation, composed of input and output data, can be saved in the personal folder of the user. The simulation data can then be reloaded to view the results, or used to start new simulations and can be removed when they are no longer needed. A simulation system based on the internet has some advantages with respect to single simulation models used off-line. For example all the users share a unique simulation tool, they can suggest modifications and improvements are readily available to all. The graphical user interface created with HTML makes the models more friendly and easy to use, and available on any platform, independently from the operating system. Moreover output data can be available, both as ASCII data and directly processed to give a graphical result. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.