Although GoldSim’s intuitive interface will tempt you to simply dive in and start playing with the software, you are strongly discouraged from doing so, even if you are an experienced modeler. Spending some time up front (by following the steps outlined below) is the quickest and most effective way to understand the software’s features and capabilities and start building models using the GoldSim Contaminant Transport Module.
1. Learn how to use the basic GoldSim framework first. In order to use the Contaminant Transport Module, you must first have a basic understanding of the GoldSim framework. You cannot learn the extension without first learning the basic concepts underlying framework. At a minimum, you should take the GoldSim Tutorial. The Tutorial is available from the GoldSim splash screen, and can also be accessed from the main GoldSim menu (Help | Tutorial…).
In addition to the Tutorial, a free “hands-on” online training Course (titled “Introduction to GoldSim”) is available that will provide you with a thorough understanding of the key concepts on which GoldSim is based and all of the fundamentals required to build complex models of nearly any kind of system. (Note, however, that the Course only discusses basic GoldSim and does not discuss the Contaminant Transport Module; a separate Course, discussed below, covers the Contaminant Transport Module). Because the Course is quite thorough, it will likely take as long as 40 hours to complete. Of course, if you are already somewhat familiar with simulation (and/or have a strong quantitative background), you may in fact be able to cover the material in considerably less than 40 hours. You can find the Course here: https://www.goldsim.com/Courses/BasicGoldSim/.
2. Read “Contaminant Transport Module Overview”. This section of GoldSim Help (equivalent to Chapter 2 of the Contaminant Transport Module User’s Guide) provides an introduction to and a "quick tour" of the GoldSim Contaminant Transport Module. It presents the basic concepts of how contaminant transport is simulated in GoldSim, provides an overview of the features and capabilities of the program, summarizes the specialized elements associated with the module, and outlines the steps required to build a contaminant transport model for an environmental system.
3. Take the Online “GoldSim Contaminant Transport Module” Training Course. The quickest and most effective way to learn how to use the Contaminant Transport Module is to take the free “hands-on” online “Contaminant Transport Module” online Course. This will provide you a thorough understanding of the key concepts on which the GoldSim Contaminant Transport Module is based and all of the fundamentals required to build complex models of nearly any kind of system. That is, it does not simply focus on the mechanics of using the Contaminant Transport Module; just as importantly, it explains the fundamental concepts underlying contaminant transport modeling in general.
Note that prior to taking this Course (which focuses solely on the Contaminant Transport Module), you should first take the “Introduction to GoldSim Course” discussed above (item 1).
Because the Course is quite thorough, it will likely take as long as 40 hours to complete. Of course, if you are already familiar with contaminant transport modeling, you may in fact be able to cover the material in considerably less than 40 hours.
You can take the Course at your own pace (and the site will remember where you last left off).
You can find the Course here: https://www.goldsim.com/Courses/ContaminantTransport/.
4. Open and explore the Example Files. When you install GoldSim, a number of example models are installed with the program. (You can quickly access these files by selecting File|Open Example… from the main GoldSim menu, and look in a subfolder named Contaminant Transport Examples). This examples are referenced in the Help system and User’s Guide where the element is introduced. These example model files are an excellent way to begin to experiment with the Contaminant Transport Module.
5. Download Example Files from the Model Library. The GoldSim website contains a Model Library with a number of models illustrating how GoldSim can be used for particular applications. The library includes a number of Contaminant Transport models. These models tend to be more complex than the simple example files found in the Contaminant Transport Examples folder, but are still relatively simple.
6. Browse the User’s Guide or Help System. GoldSim has a large number of features, and you will not discover all of them by experimenting with simple example models. To fully utilize GoldSim’s powerful features, browse through the User’s Guide, using the index and table of contents as your guide. Each section of the User’s Guide is heavily cross-referenced, so it is easy to just jump around. Note that the Help system contains all of the contents of the User’s Guide, with the exception of the technical appendices.
7. Request your free one hour web-based training session. When you purchase GoldSim, you are entitled to a free one hour, live web-based training session in which one of our analysts provides an interactive training session via the Internet and telephone. You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this free training, during which our analysts can provide an introduction to both the basic GoldSim framework and the Contaminant Transport Module.
8. Contact us with questions. When you purchase GoldSim, you are entitled to one year of free support. This does not include assistance in building and debugging your models, but it does include answering questions on how to use GoldSim’s features, so feel free to contact us! The best way to do so is through the GoldSim Help Center.