Delft3D 4 Suite (structured)

Delft3D is a integrated modelling suite, which simulates two-dimensional (in either the horizontal or a vertical plane) and three-dimensional flow, sediment transport and morphology, waves, water quality and ecology and is capable of handling the interactions between these processes. The suite is designed for use by domain experts and non-experts alike, which may range from consultants and engineers or contractors, to regulators and government officials, all of whom are active in one or more of the stages of the design, implementation and management cycle.
How to get Delft3D?
Both Delft3D FM and Delft3D 4 (structured) are available via our Delft3D Service Packages. The software is unlimited in the number of users and you may use the software for an indefinite period of time; in other words, forever. Depending on your requested level of convenience, the prices may range from an one-time subscription fee of €3,550.– only, up to an annual fee of €33,750.–. Note that the minimum subscription period is one year. Continuation after the initial year is optional, but recommended.
You can easily order one of our service packages via software@deltares.nl and then download the software via our Download portal.
Programmes
Delft3D 4 (structured) allows you to simulate the interaction of water, sediment, ecology and water quality in time and space. The suite is mostly used for the modelling of natural environments like coastal, river and estuarine areas, but it is equally suitable for more artificial environments like harbours, locks, etc. Delft3D 4 consists of a number of well-tested and validated programmes, which are linked to and integrated with one-another:
- Delft3D-FLOW
- Delft3D-MOR
- Delft3D-WAVE
- Delft3D-WAQ
- Delft3D-ECO
- Delft3D-PART
Graphical User Interface
Especially designed for consultants and engineers, the Graphical User Interface (GUI) of Delft3D 4 (structured) allows to visualize model input, reference data and simulation results as time series and animations. The moving image of the flows in and out of an estuary, for instance, can be observed and examined in gradual, fast forward and fast backward mode. The user can also gather a wide, overhead perspective of his entire system or, by contrast, zoom in on a site of particular relevance or difficulty.
Delft3D 4 is open to various data visualizations. One of the most powerful tools is the option to export data to Google Earth, using OpenEarth Tools.
Validation
The validation of a modelling system, such as Delft3D 4 (structured) and Delft3D FM, requires continuous attention. Even though the individual programmes of the suite have been thoroughly tested during their development, the suite as a whole requires intensive testing and also validation. To this end, a regular programme has been established and tests of many of the most likely combinations are continually performed. As a policy, new versions are released only after an extensive beta testing period, to ensure that our users are provided with stable and validated products.
Support desk
The Delft3D support desk is the user’s instantly accessible contact point for all questions and problems concerning the software. The support team answers the majority of questions instantly or ensures that a timely reply is given by one of the other Delft3D team members. All incoming queries on the programmes, current or future performance, are recorded in our professional issue tracker system. This system is an important instrument in the realisation of improvements to the programmes, the manuals and the Deltares Academy training courses. New versions of Delft3D will be released once a year to all users, as part of their service package.
User meetings
Deltares organizes an annual international Delft3D user meeting as part of the Delft Software Days (DSD-INT). Several smaller Delft3D user meetings are organized at international conferences worldwide. These are excellent venues for receiving updates on the latest developments and for meeting other Delft3D users.
Delft3D in open source
Delft3D is Open Source Software. To enhance collaboration, to combine the unique expertise of researchers worldwide and to further expand the modelling suite, the source code of the Delft3D modules FLOW + MOR + WAVE and DELWAQ can be downloaded. The worldwide release of Delft3D Flexible Mesh in open source is scheduled for later in 2023. For more information, please visit our Deltares open source community portal (http://oss.deltares.nl/) or the Delft3D open source website (http://oss.delft3d.nl/) directly. More than 30.000 software developers and users worldwide have daily access to the source code. 10.000+ Delft3D publications are available via the Delft3D open source website.
Ongoing developments: Delft3D Flexible Mesh (Delft3D FM)
To keep Delft3D up-to-date with state-of-the-art knowledge, we constantly update and extend the system. Please contact us if you are interested in particular features that go beyond the default functionality mentioned. Developments currently include:
- Delft3D Flexible Mesh (Delft3D FM): the successor of the current Delft3D 4 Suite (structured), based on 1D networks and 3D/2D layered mesh of mixed triangles, quadrilaterals, and more complex cells. The end-result will be an integrated 1D-2D-3D simulation suite, with the following modules:
- 3D interactive modelling using Delft3D FM
- Non-hydrostatic option for the Delft3D-FLOW and Delft3D-MOR programmes
- Z-layer option for Delft3D-WAQ
- Parallel computing for Delft3D-FLOW, Delft3D-WAVE and Delft3D-WAQ
For our beta testing programme, please contact our software team.
For more information about the Delft3D Flexible Mesh Suite, click here.
Modules
Cases
Please find below the projects where this software was involved.
Morphological study for a cable landfall
01/2007 - 05/2008
BP has conducted a project on the re-development of the Valhall field in the North Sea. This project planned to install High Voltage Direct Current cables from the mainland of Norway towards the Valhall field. The power cable landfall was...
Harbour Sedimentation Harlingen – Delft3D Flexible Mesh pilot
Harlingen harbour, which is located in the Dutch Wadden Sea, suffers from high annual sedimentation rates that entail high maintenance-dredging costs for the municipality of Harlingen. To reduce these costs and take appropriate mitigation measures, Harlingen municipality would like to...
Morphological studies for Al Faw port
Iraq wants to build a modern port as part of its long-term commitment to transforming Iraq into a transportation corridor between the Middle East and Europe. This will be the Al Faw Grand Port, which will be situated in a...
Mississippi Barrier Island Restoration
The Mississippi Coastal Improvements Program (MsCIP) was initiated after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The aim was to return the sediment budget of the Mississippi Barrier Island system to its natural state as much as possible. A sound understanding of the...
Monitoring of Environmental Impact of the Works for Improvement of the Navigation Conditions on the Danube
heden
The main objective of the project is to monitor the environmental factors as result of implementing the project "Improvement of Navigation Conditions on the Danube between Calarasi and Braila (Romania)- Stage I". In addition to monitoring, the project includes an...
Climate-resilient Hong Kong
2008
Deltares helped Hong Kong in 2008 to establish a master plan for the northern section of the New Territories. Hong Kong wanted to make this low-lying area suitable for the further expansion of the urban area. Deltares provided advice about...
Understanding of the different current and potential future pressures and vectors of change in the marine environment
2011 - 2015
The VECTORS project brings together the understanding of the different current and potential future pressures and vectors of change in the marine environment, in order to better understand the mechanisms of changes in marine life and the role of human...
Service packages
Delft3D 4 is offered as part of the Delft3D service packages. They include the latest version of the fully validated high quality Delft3D 4 Suite (structured) and the new Delft3D Flexible Mesh Suite. There are different Service Packages available to suit your specific needs.
For more information, click here.
License packages
Support
We are here to help you with all your Deltares software products and solutions.
Over the last decades, Deltares has been developing and improving Delft3D, which comes with everything a modelling professional needs in a flexible, stable, robust, easy-to-use modelling suite. Deltares offers high quality software services to consultancy firms, governmental organizations, universities and research institutes worldwide, using these software products. Now several Delft3D service packages, including the fully validated high quality Delft3D Flexible Mesh Suite and the Delft3D 4 Suite, are available to suit your specific needs!
Designed with you in mind, they offer you your requested level of convenience.
For purchasing the software service packages, please contact the Sales department and for technical questions, please contact the Support department. See below for contact information:
Sales department | Support department |
T:+ 31 (0)88 335 8188 | T:+ 31 (0)88 335 8100 |
software@deltares.nl | software.support@deltares.nl |
Known issues
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Solved in Delft3D 4.04.01Error message about "Qt platform plugin" in Delft3D FM beta or other Qt-based software after installing Delft3D 4
After installing a version of Delft3D 4, you may receive an error message when using products dependent on specific versions of Qt libraries. For example, the Delft3D FM Suite 2018.03 (1.4.6.40270) beta release will show the error “This application failed to start because it could not find or load the Qt platform plugin” when opening “Grid” (RGFGRID) or DIDO. Other software that makes use of the Qt development platform may show similar error messages. The visualization software “Igor Pro 8” is known to be affected.
Work-around: Please (1) open the Windows Start Menu, (2) search for “Environment Variables”, (3) delete the System variable “QT_PLUGIN_PATH” and then (4) restart your computer. This work-around has been tested for the combination of Delft3D 4.03.01 and the Delft3D FM Suite 2018.03 (1.4.6.40270) beta release.
Background info: Components of the Delft3D FM Suite 2018.03 (1.4.6.40270) beta release and possibly other software are based on the Qt 5.10.1, but the environment variable QT_PLUGIN_PATH set by Delft3D 4 forces them to use an older version of the Qt library, such as the Qt 5.8 of Delft3D 4.03.01.
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Solved in Delft3D 4.03.01RGFGRID crashes when zooming with the scroll-wheel and/or using the Control-key after merging nodes
This issue occurs in Delft3D 4.02.03. Issue number: Delft3D-35136.
Workarounds: After the merge nodes action is performed, press the icon with tooltip “refresh map”. Or:After the merge nodes action is performed, right-click in the RGFGRID window. When performing either of these actions, the complete administration of the unstructured grid is updated and zooming is then available.
Version details: This issue occurs in RGFGRID version 5.02.00.49059
Technical specifications
System requirements
Operating Systems (64-bit only):
- Windows 10
- CentOS 6 (computational cores only)
The advised requirements are a configuration consisting of:
Minimal | Preferred | |
Processor | 1,5 GHz | 3 GHz |
Memory | 2 GB | 4 GB |
Free hard disk space | 10 GB | 100 GB |
Release Notes
Version 4.04.01 (2018-12-06) |
Download overview new features Delft3D 4.04.01
Download overview release notes Delft3D 4.04.01
Version 4.03.01 (2017-10-27) |
Download overview new features Delft3D 4.03.01
Download overview release notes Delft3D 4.03.01
Version 4.02.03 (2016-06-23) |
Download overview new features Delft3D 4.02.03
Download overview release notes Delft3D 4.02.03
Version 4.01.00 (2014-07-01) |
Download overview new features Delft3D 4.01.00
Download release notes Delft3D 4.01.00
Version 4.00.02 (2012-12-21) |
Download release notes Delft3D 4.00.02
Version 4.00.01 (2011-09-14) |
Download release notes Delft3D 4.00.01
Version 4.00.00 (2011-06-28) |
Download release notes Delft3D 4.00
Download overview of new features and improvements Delft3D 4.00
Mass balance output on Delft3D-FLOW history files
Now we offer mass balance output on the Delft3D-FLOW history files. Given a number of user
defined polygons the Delft3D-FLOW program computes the total water volume and the average
constituent concentrations within each polygon and the fluxes from one polygon to the
neighbouring polygons. This offers the following possibilities:
1. To analyse characteristic large scale flow and transport patterns
2. To easily plot time series of masses and fluxes from the Delft3D-FLOW history file using
QUICKPLOT
User defined spatial area for Water Quality (Delft3D-WAQ)
Now you can easily define an area of interest for a water quality simulation run at a time, you can quickly start piling up
windows on your desktop. It is sometimes hard to remember what you have already started.
that is where the run identification comes in handy. Whenever you start a run, Delft3D shows
the run identification string in the window title.
New command line run procedure for Delft3D-FLOW
For those who are using the command line option for running the Delft3D-FLOW program, we have
changed the command line procedures. This is the result of one of the first steps in the
implementation of our Next Generation Hydro Software (1D/2D/3D). Delft3D-FLOW is now a dynamic
load library (ow2d3d.dll/so) which allows the sharing and changing of code and data in a
modular fashion in open source. Example scripts for running the Delft3D-FLOW program are
available on our Delft3D open source community website: http://oss.deltares.nl.