Virtual Environments - Improving the Understanding of Engineering Models

Research currently being carried out at the Manchester Visualization Centre (MVC) in collaboration with the Centre for Civil and Construction Engineering, UMIST, gives an insight into the limitations and problems engineers have understanding their models. The Engineers use finite element (FE) models in their design process. We show how analysis and validation of two models could not have been achieved without using the virtual environment developed at MVC. The first model was of a standard CFD problem known as the lid-driven cavity. The second was of a magnetohydrodynamics code which has two completely different but coupled physical processes, a magnetic field and the flow of an electrically conductive fluid. We are in the process of developing a number of tools that will improve analysis for engineers and more generally the virtual environment at Manchester. Tools are being developed in AVS/Express to aid engineers in the analysis of their data while at the same time Manchester is involved in several projects that improve the use of AVS/Express in virtual environments.