For engineers and geoscientists
Build Groundwater Models without a Grid or a Mesh
Anaqsim is a groundwater simulator that makes your models simpler to create
An-Aq-Sim (Analytic Aquifer Simulator)
Build it, test it, refine it
Trusted by Governments and Industry globally:
You should not need to fight the model to test an idea
Engineers and geoscientists conceptualize groundwater systems in terms of the physical features that control flow. Groundwater models that can mirror this way of thinking are simpler to create, test and explain.
Anaqsim lets you translate your understanding of the groundwater system into a model using a small number of intuitive line, point and polygon elements to represent those features. In effect, you can draw your model without a grid or mesh.
“What I cannot create, I do not understand.” – Richard Feynman
Anaqsim has been widely used within the SFWMD for the cross section modeling of seepage from stormwater impoundments. Its modeling capabilities with varying numbers of layers make it especially useful for three-dimensional modeling of seepage from surface reservoirs.
Build models big and small
Anaqsim helps you build and refine groundwater models across a wide range of project scales. From drainage design and dewatering to regional aquifer management, it gives you a practical workspace for work that changes as projects evolve.
For Site Scale Work
- Construction dewatering
- Foundation drainage
- Remediation design
- Injection/ pumping well systems
- Cofferdams
- Cutoff wall design
For Regional Scale Work
- Mining impacts
- Aquifer Storage & Recovery
- Watershed analysis
- Contamination potential
- Recharge assessment
- Groundwater planning
Try it risk free for 14 days – No credit card required
What this modelling workbench lets you do
Anaqsim is built on the analytic element method, a mesh-free approach that represents hydrogeological features directly as model elements.
Build from hydrogeological features
Represent wells, rivers, drains, recharge areas, barriers, geological boundaries, lakes, pits, tunnels and aquifer zones directly as model elements.
Refine without rebuilding the model
Update or add hydrogeological features as new information becomes available or your understanding of the system develops.
Test design options
Add, remove or adjust design features, then quantify their effects on groundwater heads, flow patterns and discharge.
Explain the model more clearly
A model built from recognizable hydrogeological features is simpler to review, discuss and communicate.
Benchmarked Against an Established Standard
Trust in a groundwater model comes from more than speed or ease of use. It also comes from seeing how the software performs against established methods. This example compares Anaqsim and MODFLOW on the same groundwater scenario and shows matching piezometric contours under the same modeled conditions. For more benchmarking and real-world comparisons, see our case studies.
– Rectangular domain
– 2 head boundaries
– 2 no-flow boundaries
– 2 distinct zones
– 2 distinct thickness zones
– 2 different anisotropy zones
– 2 different recharge zones
– Simple surface water zone
– 2 wells at different screening depths
– Simulated aquifer is unconfined
– Transient simulation
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Analytic Element Method (AEM) in practical terms?
The Analytic Element Method is a mesh-free way to model groundwater flow. Instead of using a grid or mesh, it uses elements to represent the real features of the groundwater system, such as wells, boundaries, recharge areas, and changes in aquifer properties.
How is Anaqsim different from other AEM software?
Anaqsim extends AEM with a subdomain approach that can handle full 3D conditions, layered systems, anisotropy, heterogeneity, and transient flow. It keeps that capability in a practical workflow that is quick to revise as project understanding evolves.
How does Anaqsim compare with MODFLOW and FEFLOW?
MODFLOW and FEFLOW use grids or meshes, while Anaqsim uses a mesh-free AEM approach that is much quicker to set up and revise, especially when project questions, boundaries, or site understanding change. Although these methods use different solution approaches, they are based on the same groundwater physics. When the same assumptions are used, they should produce very similar answers. See our case studies for comparisons with real-world observations as well as FEFLOW and MODFLOW models.
Can Anaqsim handle transient flow, layered systems, and anisotropy?
Yes. Anaqsim can handle transient flow, multi-layer aquifer systems, anisotropy, and heterogeneity without giving up the quick setup and revision workflow that makes mesh-free AEM so useful in practice.
What does Anaqsim not simulate?
Anaqsim is designed for groundwater flow modeling. It does not simulate unsaturated flow, multi-phase flow, temperature, or contaminant fate and transport.
Is Anaqsim practical for beginners, or mainly for advanced modelers?
Anaqsim is practical for both. If you understand groundwater principles, you can start building useful models without first becoming a grid or mesh specialist. Guided examples, Blueprint Models, tutorials, and weekly sessions help you get useful work going quickly.
Free 14-day trial
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