Integrating web GIS technology and 2D inundation model to develop an inundation simulation system

This research integrates web geographic information system (GIS) technology and the two-dimensional inundation model (2DIM) to develop an inundation simulation system (ISS). ISS employs the Apache web server, MapServer, HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), JavaScript, and PHP programming languages to develop online, user interfaces allowing users to input rainfall data directly from their browsers. ISS then simulates inundation and transforms the simulated results into spatial information. The results can be shown on the web using MapServer, web GIS technology. The process of simulation is simplified by running 2DIM automatically instead of manually. Luzhou and Sanchong Districts in New Taipei City are selected in this research to test the ISS during system development and test phases. ISS chooses a single rainfall event for each case to simulate inundation, and transforms the simulated results to spatial information. The simulated results are compared with those simulated manually in a step by step approach, and then ISS displays the simulated results using ArcGIS software. Results show that that ISS is feasible and can be applied to execute 2DIM, and to display geospatial data online. This reduces the complexity of simulation to efficiently reach the objective of real-time simulation. © 2020.