XPSWMM to TUFLOW-SWMM: Difference between revisions

XPSWMM is a flood and urban stormwater drainage modeling software developed by Autodesk (previously Innovyze and XP Solutions). The XPSWMM solution uses EPA SWMM for its 1D calculations, dynamically linked to TUFLOW for its 2D calculations. The software functions within a custom build Graphical User Interface (GUI). Unknown to many XPSWMM modelers, during simulation, XPSWMM processes its inputs into TUFLOW files and also calls TUFLOW for the 2D calculations. As XPSWMM uses TUFLOW for its 2D engine, like-for-like results can be achieved using this software. TUFLOW is the natural replacement for XPSWMM for people who are looking for an alternative solution following Autodesk's recent XPSWMM pricing, licensing, and support changes.

Common user feedback suggests the XPSWMM GUI is useful for simple modeling projects; however, it can become cumbersome and workflow inefficient when dealing with larger datasets and/or a large volume of different scenario and event simulations. In response to requests from USA XPSWMM users who want to convert XPSWMM models into a native TUFLOW format, TUFLOW linkage with 1D EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was added as a supported feature in TUFLOW 2023-03-AD release. The modeling workflow in TUFLOW differs from XPSWMM, as TUFLOW modeling is integrated with QGIS (Geographical Information System) GIS software. This is, however, a net positive. GIS integration is well-suited for working with larger datasets. Additionally, the structural design associated with TUFLOW modeling makes its general workflow extremely efficient, particularly for the automated management of multiple scenarios and events.