Articles | Volume 18, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-3473-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-3473-2025
Methods for assessment of models
 | 
13 Jun 2025
Methods for assessment of models |  | 13 Jun 2025

Using automatic calibration to improve the physics behind complex numerical models: an example from a 3D lake model using Delft3D (v6.02.10) and DYNO-PODS (v1.0)

Marina Amadori, Abolfazl Irani Rahaghi, Damien Bouffard, and Marco Toffolon

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Cited articles

Amadori, M., Morini, G., Piccolroaz, S., and Toffolon, M.: Involving citizens in hydrodynamic research: A combined local knowledge – numerical experiment on Lake Garda, Italy, Sci. Total Environ., 722, 137720, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137720, 2020. a, b
Amadori, M., Giovannini, L., Toffolon, M., van Haren, H., and Dijkstra, H.: Multi-scale evaluation of a 3D lake model forced by an atmospheric model against standard monitoring data, Environ. Modell. Softw., 139, 105017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.105017, 2021. a, b, c
Amadori, M., Rahaghi, A. I., Bouffard, D., Toffolon, M., and Runnals, J.: Repository for: “Using automatic calibration to improve the physics behind complex numerical models: An example from a 3D lake model”, Zenodo Repository [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13712738, 2024. a
Baar, A. W., Boechat Albernaz, M., van Dijk, W. M., and Kleinhans, M. G.: Critical dependence of morphodynamic models of fluvial and tidal systems on empirical downslope sediment transport, Nat. Commun., 10, 4903, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12753-x, 2019. a
Baracchini, T., Chu, P. Y., Šukys, J., Lieberherr, G., Wunderle, S., Wüest, A., and Bouffard, D.: Data assimilation of in situ and satellite remote sensing data to 3D hydrodynamic lake models: a case study using Delft3D-FLOW v4.03 and OpenDA v2.4, Geosci. Model Dev., 13, 1267–1284, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1267-2020, 2020a. a
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Short summary
Models simplify reality using assumptions, which can sometimes introduce flaws and affect their accuracy. Properly calibrating model parameters is essential, and although automated tools can speed up this process, they may occasionally produce incorrect values due to inconsistencies in the model. We demonstrate that by carefully applying automated tools, we were able to identify and correct a flaw in a widely used model for lake environments.
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