VEGETATED TREATMENT OF VEHICLE WASH SEDIMENTS: DESIGNING A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

摘要

Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) help to create user-friendly interactions between a complicatedrnmathematical model application and an inexperienced user. The GUI helps to package the various softwarerncomponents that are essential for effective user interactions, while the mathematical model helps to simulate thernfate and transport of water and solute in subsurface soil environments. For a successful GUI deployment,rnintegration of the following various components is essential: 1) an input component comprised of graphical unitsrnsuch as graphics editor, menu bars, tool bars, and dialog boxes allows the user to generate useful site-specificrndata; 2) a database component retrieves or updates information about specific soil properties, solute properties,rnplant properties, and climatic conditions of a site; 3) the mathematical model component, developed in FORTRAN,rnexecutes the input generated by the input component; and 4) the output component of the GUI displaysrnto the user the model predictions in a graphical format. A friendly graphical manner of model predictions helpsrnthe user to quickly comprehend and make effective management-related decisions such as irrigation andrnfertilization requirements. This GUI is also a useful tool for practicing environmental professionals who arerntraining to make decisions with regards to vegetation-based treatment systems and amount of time needed forrnproducing a viable design.