Carlos Andres Rivera Villarreyes Global Product Specialist - FEFLOW

Hello,

From my experience with both classical PEST and FePEST graphical interface, I believe that time you will need to set-up a simple plug-in to assign unsaturated parameters in FePEST is much less than time needed for learning all PEST classical workflow.

Even though, if FePEST does not cover all available parameters in FEFLOW for calibration purposes, it helps you a lot to create simple PEST files (templates, instruction and control), which can be used as basis for another complex scenarios. For instance, you can setup a FePEST project with some dummy parameters, available in the interface. You just need to define the dummy parameter as "fixed", so it will be not taken into account for the optimization problem. Subsequently, you can create PEST files automatically and edit them manually according to your needs.

Calibration of high non-linear processes such as Richards-based models is very complex and time consuming. Even, you have a vertical cross-section, it would require several FEFLOW runs. Therefore, there will be the need to parallelize the problem in PEST/FePEST.

If you opt by using FePEST and a plug-in, basically you will need to use four API functions:

IfmSetMatUnsatAirEntryPressureHead
IfmSetMatUnsatFittingCoefficient
IfmSetMatUnsatMaximumSaturation
IfmSetMatUnsatResidualSaturation

Let me know if you require further information.

Carlos

Dear Quinn,

I reproduced your problem "Not licensed". The explanation is that you occupied all available FEFLOW license seats.
Keep in mind that: # FEFLOW opened instances + # FePEST opened instances should be equal or less than your available seats.

Let me know if you have further questions,

Carlos

Dear Quinn,

FePEST license is included together with the FEFLOW 6.2 license. Which FePEST version do you have? Are you sure that license was correctly applied in NetLM?

Cheers,

Carlos

Hi Ludwig,

Unfortunately at the moment, FePEST graphical interface does not support unsaturated parameters as a Parameter Definition for calibration.
However, you can still calibrate these variables including a so-called IFM-implemented parameter definition. You will need to write an IFM plug-in to retrieve and set unsaturated parameters, basically you will use the following functions:

IfmGetMatUnsatAirEntryPressureHead
IfmGetMatUnsatFittingCoefficient
and their corresponding IfmSet... functions.

Cheers,

Carlos

Hi Roby,

You need the following steps:

1) In FEFLOW 6.2, you need to assign manually the BC corresponding to the first and final nodes.
2) Next to the assignment toolbar, you will find a new icon named 1D Linear Interpolation. This is together with other options such as Assign Data by Map (Point, Line or Polygon).
3) After having activating 1D interpolation option, you will have to trace a line connecting the first and last nodes.
4) Ready :-)

Carlos

Hi Elena, could you be more specific?

Hi,

You can make the assignment of the pumping wells via the Parameter Association Dialog (right click on a specific file in the Map panel). Here, you can find several ways for Neighborhood Relationship. In the help system there is a fill description of all variables.
In principle, it is always recommended to make a local refinement around pumping wells in order to improve the numerical solution. So, if you are not very far with the model setup, I would highly recommend you to go back to the Supermesh View and reformulate your conceptual model (e.g. include new wells, generate new mesh with local refinements, etc.).

Cheers,

Carlos

Hi Adam,

If a client command does not complete FePEST gives up after <Timeout> seconds, but then repeats the failed command. The idea behind this is to try to make FePEST tolerant of temporary network problems.

We have tried starting a FePEST server with an invalid FEFLOW license and ran a parallelized FePEST problem. The server log repeated the message “not licensed”, just as you mentioned. However, pressing stop on the client cancelled the PEST run, after a short delay. (In some cases it may be necessary to stop the server first). So, we weren't able to reproduce your problem, just by making the license unavailable. I guess what your workflow must have been slightly different.

Cheers,

Carlos

Hi Adam,

Here we go...

The default Timeout is 30000 msecs (= 30 seconds), which is the time the client or server waits until assuming that the requested operation failed, and repeats it. This default value is also the default of the underlying library function used by FePEST. It may be possible to lower this without side effects, but beware, if the network is responding badly, or if the FEM is very large then a low timeout could mean client/server communication can never succeed. You can modify its value with a registry entry named Timeout.

In general you can track errors using the log FePEST file: %TEMP%\.fepest62\log.txt

To forcibly stop PEST, you should use red stop button. Sometimes you may have to wait a number of seconds until it works. This is because is carrying out the last FEFLOW run. The black Kill button is more brutal, and kills the process and so should be used only if the red stop button fails.

Cheers,

Carlos

Hi Adam,

Good to know that you are intensively testing new features in FePEST! Here some ideas you could use in your workflow:

- FePEST can be started in server mode directly from the command line:
e.g. [color=red]"C:\Program Files\WASY\FEFLOW 6.2\bin64\fepest62.exe" -mode=server[/color]

- You can alter the port on which the FePEST server (where the slaves run)  using a registry setting. This should be created in the following manner:
e.g. [color=red][HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\DHI-WASY\FEFLOW Parameter Estimation] --> "Port"=dword:000013bb[/color]

- This registry setting must also be set on the client (master) computer. Please note, the input is in hexadecimal but you can also choose decimal using regedit. Deal with careful any modification in the Registry Editor, incorrect changes can affect FePEST installation. The port on which BeoPEST runs, is set in the FePEST Settings dialog on the Parallelization page.

- PSLAVE.EXE is part of the parallel pest solution PPEST. FePEST uses BEOPEST (third-party software) and, as stated above, this port is specified in the FePEST Settings.

Hope I could clarify your doubts. Let me know you have other questions under specific circumstances of your network.

Cheers,

Carlos