Simulation and Modelling
3D Modelling
Abyssal Engine - The Abyssal Engine is a powerful professional game creation tool kit and rendering system for creating quality 3D software. The technology is designed to reduce development time while empowering developers with a strong suite of tools needed to produce great visual effects and immersive online or offline worlds. The technology allows the developer to create everything from single player RPG titles, Real Time Strategy Games, to Multiplayer and Massively multiplayer products as well as simulation applications. (The tool has a 30 day free trial period)
Cafu - The Cafu Engine is an all-purpose, modern 3D graphics engine and game development kit, feature complete to get you started quickly.
Cafu is available to everyone as 100% free software under the GNU General Public License (GPLv3). It can be used to create a variety of 3D applications, including games, simulations, and training and architectural software. Written in C++, the tools, libraries and framework have been designed to make the development of new games and other 3D applications easy. They are actively and continuously developed in order to provide the latest technology.
CityEngine - CityEngine provides professional users in entertainment, architecture, urban planning and general 3D content creation with a unique early design and modeling solution for the efficient visualization of 3D urban environments. A free trail version is available for 30 days.
Darkwynter - The DarkWynter engine is designed for students, researchers, and industry personnel interested in rapidly prototyping 3D applications. It has been constructed in response to the community's need for a light-weight modular system which can support a variety of research and educational requirements.
Delta3d - Delta3D is a full-function game engine appropriate for a wide variety of modeling & simulation applications.
Endorphin 2.7.1. - Endorphin 2.7.1. is a free, time-unlimited learning edition of Endorphin a 3D animation tool based on Dynamic Motion Synthesis.
OPAL - OPAL is a high-level interface for low-level physics engines used in games, robotics simulations, and other 3D applications. Features a simple C++ API, intuitive objects (e.g. Solids, Joints, Motors, Sensors), and XML-based file storage for complex objects.
Open CASCADE - Open CASCADE Technology, 3D modeling & numerical simulation is a software development platform freely available in open source. It includes components for 3D surface and solid modeling, visualization, data exchange and rapid application development
Openscenegraph - The OpenSceneGraph is an open source high performance 3D graphics toolkit, used by application developers in fields such as visual simulation, games, virtual reality, scientific visualization and modelling. Written entirely in Standard C++ and OpenGL it runs on all Windows platforms, OSX, GNU/Linux, IRIX, Solaris, HP-Ux, AIX and FreeBSD operating systems.
OpenSimulator - OpenSimulator is an open source multi-platform, multi-user 3D application server. It can be used to create a virtual environment (or world) which can be accessed through a variety of clients, on multiple protocols. OpenSimulator allows virtual world developers to customize their worlds using the technologies they feel work best - we've designed the framework to be easily extensible. OpenSimulator is written in C#, running both on Windows over the .NET framework and on *ix machines over the Mono framework. The source code is released under a BSD License, a commercially friendly license to embed OpenSimulator in products.
StarLogo TNG - StarLogo TNG is the Next generation version of the Starlogo modelling and simulation software. It uses 3D graphics to make more compelling and rich games and simulation models.
SimplyCube - The SimplyCube BETA Version by SimplySim is an all-in-one software tool designed to allow anyone to create real-time 3D applications such as simulations, serious games or virtual reality applications. SimplyCube contains a simulation engine and a toolbox of 3D editors.
Visual3D Game Engine - The Visual3D Game Engine is an All-in-One Development Tool for Games, MMOs, Simulations & Virtual Worlds powered by Microsoft XNA. A free trial version is available for download.
Aerodynamics Modelling
APAME - APAME is a 3D Panel Method program for calculating aerodynamic forces and moments about an aircraft. It is published under GPL-General Public License.
Aerospace Simulation
CEASIOM - The CEASIOM application is a free Conceptual Aircraft design tool which runs under either Windows or Linux, and it only requires a MATLAB® license.
Discrete Event Simulation
erlSim - erlSim, is a discrete event simulator written in erlang and which is available at
sourceForge takes advantage of erlang’s high concurrency and speed of execution. It also includes several random distributions that are typically used in simulations such as the triangular and normal distributions.
GeneSim - GeneSim is an open source code generator for simulators of dynamic systems. GeneSim reads the specification of a dynamic system and produces the code that simulates the system. The specification is expressed using UML or SysML. Code is generated in object-oriented languages like C++, Java, C#.
Tortuga - Tortuga developed by the MITRE Corporation, is a software framework for discrete-event simulation in Java. A Tortuga simulation can be written either as interacting processes or as scheduled events. A Tortuga simulation can have thousands of entities, and can be part of a larger Java system.
Electronics Simulation
Arduino - Arduino is an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software. It's intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.
Energy Simulation
gModeller is an energy analysis plugin (free for individual use),for Google SketchUp. Based on the gbXML standard for designing resource efficient buildings and specifying associated equipment, gModeller enables the building designer to decorate 3D SketchUp building models with gbXML surfaces and openings, to identify and label gbXML spaces, and to import and export gbXML models.
Energy Networks Simulation
GridLAB-D - GridLAB-D is a new power distribution system simulation and analysis tool that provides valuable information to users who design and operate distribution systems, and to utilities that wish to take advantage of the latest energy technologies. It incorporates the most advanced modeling techniques, with high-performance algorithms to deliver the best in end-use modeling. GridLAB-D™ is coupled with distribution automation models and software integration tools for users of many power system analysis tools.
Environmental Modelling
FISDEV - FISDEV (Framework for Integrated Sustainable Development) is an open source, collaborative tool for Sustainable Development written in MIKE2.0 (Method for an Integrated Knowledge Environment) which is an Open Source methodology for Enterprise Information Management that provides a framework for Information Development.
Finite Element Modelling
Abaqus 6.9 Student Edition - Abacus 6.9 - The Abaqus Student Edition includes the core Abaqus products; Abaqus/Standard, Abaqus/Explicit, Abaqus/CFD, and Abaqus/CAE. Model databases are compatible with other academically-licensed versions of Abaqus so that students can perform increasingly sophisticated analyses on models originally created in Abaqus Student Edition. The full HTML documentation set provides a thorough, searchable resource for students to find detailed information.
Designed for personal educational use, the maximum model size for structural analysis and postprocessing is set to 1000 nodes; for fluid analysis, the limit is 10000 nodes. Access to features requiring compilers (user subroutines, Abaqus Make, C++ ODB API), parallel execution, or add-on products has not been included. Replay and journal files are not available for Abaqus/CAE.
FreeFem++ is an implementation of a language dedicated to the finite element method. It enables you to solve Partial Differential Equations (PDE) easily. Problems involving PDE (2d, 3d) from several branches of physics such as fluid-structure interactions require interpolations of data on several meshes and their manipulation within one program. FreeFem++ includes a fast 2^d-tree-based interpolation algorithm and a language for the manipulation of data on multiple meshes (as a follow up of bamg).
FreeFem++ is written in C++ and the FreeFem++ language is a C++ idiom. It runs on any Unix-like OS (with g++ version 3 or higher, X11R6 or OpenGL with GLUT) Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris 10, Microsoft Windows (95, 98, 2000, NT, XP, Vista) and MacOS X (native version using OpenGL). FreeFem++ replaces the older freefem and freefem+.
Fluid Dynamic Modelling
Khamsin - a Google Sketchup Plugin for Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Modeling
General Simulation Platform
GarlicSim - GarlicSim is a platform for writing, running and analyzing simulations. It is general enough to handle any kind of simulation: Physics, game theory, epidemic spread, electronics, etc.
Monte Carlo Simulation
Analytica - Analytica s a visual tool for creating, analyzing, and communicating decision models. You can download a free 30-Day trial version.
MCSim - GNU MCSim is a simulation package, written in C, which allows you to: design your own statistical or simulation models (eventually dynamic, via ODEs), perform Monte Carlo stochastic simulations and do Bayesian inference through Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations.
Object-Oriented Simulation
OpenModelica 1.6 is an open-source Modelica-based modeling and simulation environment intended for industrial and academic usage. Its long-term development is supported by a non-profit organization – the Open Source Modelica Consortium (OSMC)
This OpenModelica 1.6 release primarily contains model analysis/flattening, simulation, and performance improvements regarding the multi-domain Modelica Standard Library 3.1 support, but also has an interesting new tool – the OMEdit graphic connection editor, a new educational material called DrControl for teaching control systems with Modelica, and an improved ModelicaML UML/Modelica profile with better support for cyber-physical modeling and requirement handling (see also www.openmodelica.org, and the ITEA2 OPENPROD project www.openprod.org).
The goal with the OpenModelica effort is to create a comprehensive Open Source Modelica modeling, compilation and simulation environment based on free software distributed in binary and source code form for research, teaching, and industrial usage.
Online and Telecommunications Simulation
OMNET++ - OMNeT++ is an extensible, modular, component-based C++ simulation library and framework, with an Eclipse-based IDE and a graphical runtime environment. Domain-specific functionality (support for simulation of communication networks, queuing networks, performance evaluation, etc.) is provided by model frameworks, developed as independent projects. There are extensions for real-time simulation, network emulation, alternative programming languages (Java, C#), database integration, SystemC integration, and several other functions. OMNeT++ is free for academic and non-profit use.
X3D - X3D is the Open Standards for Real-Time 3D Communication/Simulation
Petri Nets
WoPeD - WoPeD is an open-source software developed at the Cooperative State University Karlsruhe under the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). The main goal of this tool is to provide an easy-to-use software tool for modelling, simulating and analyzing workflow process and resource descriptions using workflow nets, an extended class of Petri nets initially introduced by Wil van der Aalst (TU Eindhoven).
Physics Simulation
Box2D - Box2D Box2D is a free open source 2-dimensional physics simulator engine written in C++ by Erin Catto and published under the zlib license.
Elmer 5.4.0 Elmer 5.4.0 is an open source multiphysical simulation software. Elmer development was started 1995 in collaboration with Finnish Universities, research institutes and industry.
Elmer includes physical models of fluid dynamics, structural mechanics, electromagnetics, heat transfer and acoustics, for example. These are described by partial differential equations which Elmer solves by the Finite Element Method (FEM).
Geant4 - Geant4 is a toolkit for the simulation of the passage of particles through matter. Its areas of application include high energy, nuclear and accelerator physics, as well as studies in medical and space science.
PAL - Physics Abstraction Layer (PAL) is an open source cross-platform physical simulation API abstraction system.
Robotics Simulation
Anykode - Robotics Simulation. A free full version of the software is available for 30 days.
Open Dynamics Engine - Open Dynamics Engine (ODE) is an open source, high performance library for simulating rigid body dynamics. It is fully featured, stable, mature and platform independent with an easy to use C/C++ API.
The Player - The Player Project creates Free Software that enables research in robot and sensor systems.
Traffic Simulation
SUMO - "Simulation of Urban MObility" (SUMO) is an open source, highly portable, microscopic road traffic simulation package designed to handle large road networks. It is mainly developed by employees of the Institute of Transportation Systems at the German Aerospace Center. SUMO is licensed under the GPL.
tsim - tsim is a simple train simulator written by Magnus Carlsson and Alois Goller and used on the Concurrent Programming course at Chalmers University of Technology. tsim uses X11 for its GUI, so you will need the X11 libraries and include files to compile and run tsim.
Training Simulation
The USIP Open Simulation Platform (USIP OSP) - The USIP Open Simulation Platform (USIP OSP) is an open source software tool to allow anyone to create, conduct, and share online training simulations quickly and easily. Further documentation can be found under OSPDocs.
Sustainable Development Modelling
SDSIM is a System Dynamics model, and it is programmed in the STELLA simulation language. Links are provided to the STELLA software and an excellent System Dynamics primer. However, it is assumed that the reader is familiar with the System Dynamics method of system analysis and synthesis.
The objective of the Sustainable Development Simulation (SDSIM) is to analyze trade-offs between human development and economic development priorities. It is a global model, in the tradition of Limits to Growth and other similar projects. However, it attempts to take into account both material resources, which are limited, and human resources such as human wisdom, which are unlimited. The time window is 1950-2200, and the transition from consumerism to sustainability is expected to happen during the 21st century (i.e., approximately 2010-2100).
Urban Modelling
UrbanSim - UrbanSim is a software-based simulation system for supporting planning and analysis of urban development, incorporating the interactions between land use, transportation, the economy, and the environment.
