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Overview of Full Workflow ​

Now that you’ve completed all the major sections of this training, you’ve seen how each part of the computational workflow fits together — exactly as introduced in Lesson 1 of Chapter 1.

Every simulation study at Avkalan Labs follows the same structured approach built around five key stages:

  • Pre-processing – creating the geometry and mesh.
  • Solving – defining the physics, boundary conditions, and running the computation.
  • Post-processing – visualizing, analyzing, and extracting the results.
  • Communication and documentation – recording your observations, sharing progress, and maintaining project clarity.
  • Collaboration for research output – working across teams, reviewing results, and combining efforts for higher research impact.

This page brings everything together into a standard workflow that you can follow for any new project.

Step 1: Creating the Repository ​

Whenever you start a new project, the first step is to create a GitHub repository using the standard Avkalan Labs project template:

https://github.com/iitrabhi/project-template

This template provides all the required folders discussed earlier — including directories for codes, results, documentation, and references.

Once the repository is created:

  1. Clone it to your local system.
  2. Open it in Obsidian to begin tracking your research notes and logs.
  3. Use the library folder in the repository to store reference materials, research papers, or supporting documents related to the study.

At this point, your base project structure is ready.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Daily Workflow ​

Each day, start by creating a new daily note in Obsidian (as discussed earlier in the documentation module).

  • Record what you plan to work on that day — objectives, tasks, or specific simulations.

  • Then, navigate to the folder path:

    2_codes/2_workshop/

    Create a new folder for the study you’ll be conducting that day, named appropriately (e.g., 01_antenna_refinement_study).

It’s also recommended to share your daily updates in the project’s Slack channel using the format discussed in the communication section — ensuring everyone stays aligned.

Step 3: Defining the Study ​

Inside your newly created study folder, add a README.md file. Use the following structure to define the study:

## Study
## Results
## Observations / Conclusions
  • Under Study, describe your objective, input parameters, and expected outcomes.
  • Under Results, you’ll later add your visualizations, plots, and screenshots.
  • Finally, under Observations / Conclusions, you’ll summarize findings after completing the study.

Step 4: Pre-processing (Geometry and Meshing) ​

Use Salome to create or modify your geometry and generate the simulation mesh. Follow the workflow outlined in the Salome Geometry and Meshing chapter:

  • Create or import geometry.
  • Apply refinements and assign physical groups.
  • Export the mesh as a .med file.

Save this mesh inside your study folder for reference.

Step 5: Solving (Running Simulations) ​

Use your FEniCS solver script to define physics, boundary conditions, and material properties.

  • Either use an existing solver script or build one suited to your study.
  • Run the simulation and save results (typically .xdmf or .vtu files) in the output subfolder of your study directory.

Document the solver details and parameters in the README under the Study section.

Step 6: Post-processing (Visualization and Analysis) ​

Once results are generated, open the .xdmf file in ParaView. Perform your post-processing by:

  • Applying filters such as Clip, Slice, Threshold, or Warp by Scalar.
  • Visualizing scalar and vector fields.
  • Adjusting color maps and exporting images.

Take screenshots of your visualizations (as described earlier) and paste them into the Results section of your study README, along with short captions and your observations.

Step 7: Drawing Conclusions ​

After analyzing the results:

  • Summarize the key findings under the Observations / Conclusions heading in the study README.
  • Include any anomalies, lessons learned, or next steps.

This ensures your study remains self-contained and understandable to anyone reviewing it later.

Step 8: Communication and Sharing ​

Finally, share your study summary or progress update in the project Slack channel.

  • Include the study title, key results, screenshots, and next steps.
  • Tag the relevant project members for feedback or review.

This keeps the discussion open, transparent, and archived for future reference.

Summary ​

By following this structured workflow —

  1. Create repository → 2. Set up daily notes → 3. Define study → 4. Pre-process → 5. Solve → 6. Post-process → 7. Conclude → 8. Share and document — you maintain complete clarity, reproducibility, and consistency in your research.

This approach ensures that every project at Avkalan Labs remains organized, traceable, and collaborative, aligning with the professional standards of high-quality computational research.