A two-day joint modelling exercise took place in Aachen on 18 and 19 February 2026, hosted by Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management (IWW) at RWTH Aachen. The event brought together experts from IWW RWTH Aachen, Deltares, KU Leuven and TU Delft for an open, hands-on coworking session focused on the Delft3D FM modelling suite, a widely used software package for simulating water systems such as rivers, coasts and floodplains.
Day 1: Methods, Workflows and Best Practices
The first day centered on theoretical and methodological topics related to the Delft3D FM Suite. Participants exchanged insights on typical workflow challenges, common pitfalls and best practices. Thanks to the open format of the session, discussions unfolded directly in the software, reviewing example models and sharing practical best practice approaches. Modelling areas covered the Rur and Mark rivers.
Topics included:
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Data structuring and organising model setups
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Meaningful naming conventions
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Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
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Strategies for merging or combining model domains
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Tips to streamline and improve modelling workflows
Day 2: Practical Troubleshooting and Applications
The second day shifted toward more detailed applications. Participants brought their own models, presenting real world challenges for collaborative troubleshooting. Working step by step, the group explored solutions, improved configurations and compared alternative modelling strategies.
Key technical themes included:
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Integration of hydraulic structures
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Coupling and connecting 1D and 2D modelling elements
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Automating of recurring processing and post-processing steps
A Valuable Collaborative Format
The coworking style setup, without a rigid agenda or formal presentations, enabled deep interactive problem solving and peer to peer learning. By working directly with active models and sharing insights across institutions, participants strengthened their modelling practices and advanced their use of the Delft3D FM Suite.
The exercise also underscored the value of open knowledge exchange and close collaboration across regional and national borders, helping to foster more coherent approaches to shared river systems and modelling challenges. Following the success of this session, we will be organising more of these events in the coming months.
