Online course : Introduction to openTELEMAC

Course Overview

This two-day intensive training introduces you to TELEMAC-2D, from the underlying hydrodynamic equations to the development of real-world simulations.

Through guided, interactive sessions, you will learn how to build, run, and analyze river flood simulations using QGIS, Q4TS, openTELEMAC, and Salomé.

The course concludes with a general introduction to other OpenTELEMAC modules and functionalities, including practical guidance on how to continue learning and experimenting independently.

Target Audience

• Online training aimed at students in hydraulics, academics, and professionals from engineering firms or industry.
• Prior knowledge in fluid mechanics (Navier–Stokes equations, CFD) is required.
• A working installation of QGIS with Q4TS, openTELEMAC, and Salomé is necessary — either installed locally or accessed via Simvia’s Docker images through WSL (recommended, though it requires some familiarity with Linux).
• If you experience installation issues or uncertainty, we recommend using Simvia’s preconfigured Docker images:
  • openTELEMAC + QGIS + Q4TS: https://hub.docker.com/r/simvia/opentelemac
  • Salomé: https://hub.docker.com/r/simvia/salome
  • Docker is designed for Linux environments.
• If you are using Windows, you can easily set up a Linux virtual machine using WSL.
  • Documentation for installing WSL on Windows: https://learn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/windows/wsl/install
  • Video tutorial for installing Docker on Linux: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toaXeW8Wt94 (the video demonstrates installation with a Code_Saturne image, but the procedure is the same for Salomé and OpenTELEMAC)

Instructor

Louis Haurie, PhD – Theoretical physicist with a strong interest in physical simulation, from mathematical formulation to numerical implementation.

Uses openTELEMAC in industrial support projects to help advance and troubleshoot complex simulations.

Languages Offered

• English

Dates

• December 15–16, 2025

Program Overview (by half-day)

Day 1 – Morning : "fundamentals"

• General presentation of the openTELEMAC system and example applications
• Theoretical background: from Navier–Stokes equations to Saint-Venant equations — understanding the assumptions behind OpenTELEMAC
• Overview of Telemac closure models (friction, wind, turbulence, diffusion, advection, etc.)
• The method of characteristics and its importance in Telemac simulations

Day 1 – Afternoon : "first steps with QGIS and TELEMAC"

• Presentation of the files required to run a TELEMAC-2D simulation
• Interactive hands-on session:
  • Use Q4TS’s create_mesh to generate a simple 2D mesh of a river in France
  • Interpolate elevation data to define the riverbed
  • Use projection_field in Q4TS to assign a uniform friction coefficient and define wet boundary conditions
  • Learn to launch Telemac using a prepared command file
  • Visualize and interpret simulation results

Day 2 – Morning : "getting familiar with the TELEMAC system workflow"

• Structure of command files: syntax rules, reference documentation, and interpretation of warnings and log messages
• Common Telemac keywords and their meanings
• Brief introduction to TELEMAC-3D and other modules, as well as additional features (tracers, rating curves, tides, etc.)
• Guidance for independent learning (documentation, Python scripts, notebooks)
• Workshop: dissecting the command file from Day 1

Day 2 – Afternoon : "toward reallistic flooding simulation and outlooks"

• Interactive hands-on session:
  • Refine the Day 1 mesh using Q4TS by interpolating land-use data to estimate Strickler coefficients
  • Modify the command file to simulate a river flood on the refined mesh
  • Run the simulation and perform post-processing in Paravis
  • Edit BOTTOM values to add a levee or retention basin of your choice
  • Critical analysis: Is the simulation realistic?
• If time allows: coupling with the WAQTEL module to study the propagation of bacteria in a river with a time-dependent degradation law