HEC-RAS

http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-ras/hecras-hecras.html

US Army Corps of Engineers

Legend Hydrologic Engineering
WS 10 yr
Center
WS 50 yr

WS 100 yr
River Analysis System
Ground
Bank Station
School of Civil and
Monroe L. Weber-Shirk Environmental Engineering
 Software for Steady-State Water
Surface Profiles
HEC-RAS analyzes networks of natural and man-
made channels and computes water surface
profiles based on steady one-dimensional flow
hydraulics.
includes
composite channels
supercritical-to-subcritical flows
multi-waterway bridges
culvert options
Stable channel design
 Hydraulic Analysis Components
Steady Flow Water Surface Profiles
flood plain management
flood insurance studies
effects of channel modifications
Unsteady Flow Simulation
model __________
storage
levee failures
Sediment Transport/Movable Boundary
long term trends of scour and deposition
maximum scour during large flood events
design channels to maintain navigation depths
 Steady Flow Water Surface
Profiles
Systems of channels
network
dendritic branching
single river reach
Subcritical, Supercritical, and Mixed
Channel Controls/Obstructions
bridge piers
culverts
weirs
 Computational Procedure

One-dimensional energy equation (_______ ___)

standard step
V12 V22
y1 S o x y2 S f x
2g 2g
energy losses
1V12 2V22
friction - Manning Equation he LS f C
contraction/expansion - loss coefficient 2g 2g
Momentum equation
hydraulic jumps
hydraulics of bridges
stream junctions
 Computational Procedure (1)

Assume a water surface elevation at the

upstream cross section (or downstream
cross section if a supercritical profile is
being calculated)
Based on the assumed water surface
elevation, determine the corresponding total
conveyance and velocity head.
1 1
K R Q KS 1f / 2
Q 2/3 1/ 2 2/3
R
h AS f h A
n n
 Computational Procedure (2)

Compute Sf and solve for losses

1V12 2V22
he LS f C
2g 2g
Solve the energy equation for the water
surface V12 V22
y1 S o x y2 S f x = he
2g 2g

Compare the computed value of depth with

iterate until the
the assumed value and ______
values agree within 0.01 feet.
 Data Requirements

Channel description
length of reach
channel roughness
channel cross-section geometry
Boundary conditions
Structure geometry
bridges
culverts
weirs
 River Reach
0.2
10

Tributary

Upper Reach 0.1

9.9 River Stations

Numeric labels
9.8
0.0 increase upstream
Sutter

9.7
Lower Reach
9.6

9.5
 Cross Section Data

x-y coordinates of
channel bottom
distance to
downstream cross-
section
Mannings n
 Channel Cross Section
Manning n for overbank areas
usually higher than for main
channel
Composite channel
calculations...

1
Q Rh2 / 3 AS 1f / 2
n
S f S f S f ...
1 2 N 1
Q Q1 Q2 ...
Q Sf
i 1
Rh Ai
ni
2/3
i

 Channel Section Interpolation

Water surfaces are calculated at each river

station
If water depth changes too much between
river stations then the calculations are
imprecise
Interpolate between rivers stations of known
geometry
Inline Weir Station Elevation
Editor
Weir Editor Resulting cross section
 Boundary Conditions

Ways to specify Boundary Conditions

Known Water Surface Elevations
Critical Depth Mild
_______________
to Steep Transition
Normal Depth Uniform
_______________
flow
Rating Curve _______________
Control structure
Boundary Condition Requirements
Supercritical Flow ______________
Upstream depth
Subcritical Flow ______________
Downstream depth
Mixed Flow ______________
Upstream and Downstream
 Program Structure

Input Output
Cross Sections
Channel geometry
Profiles
Flows and boundary Computed Rating Curves
conditions for each profile
3-D Cross Sections

Other Analysis Tabular Data

Scour at bridges Errors

 Change from Mild to Steep Slope
homework homework plan 2 4/26/99
Legend
0.2
From this plot how can you know if EG PF#1
WS PF#1

flow is super or sub critical? Ground

0.0

-0.2

M2
Elevation (m)

-0.4

S2
-0.6

2
-0.8
yc E
3
-1.0

-1020 -1015 -1010 -1005 -1000 -995 -990 -985

Main Channel Distance (m)
Mild slope behind Obstruction
homework homework plan 2 4/21/99
Legend

EG PF#1

1.0 WS PF#1
Ground

0.8

M1
Elevation (m)

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Main Channel Distance (m)
 Additional Capabilities

Stable Channel Design

Sediment transport problem
Perform Channel Modifications
Cut and fill calculations
 HEC-RAS Summary

HEC-RAS solves the energy and

momentum equations to calculate water
surface profiles
Modeling natural rivers is made difficult by
the need to obtain and enter the geometric
data
 Wee Stinky Creek Problems

What is wrong with Wee Stinky Creek?

Bank erosion
Is channel bed eroding also?
Why is erosion a concern?
Local - land/soil loss
Downstream sediment deposition
What could be causing the erosion?
Steep slope
Impermeable surfaces with high runoff
Lack of bank vegetation
Lawn mowers
 Wee Stinky Creek Solutions

Decrease stream slope

Meander
Raise downstream sill
Increase bottom width
Decrease side slope
Plant vegetation with deep roots next to stream
Keep the lawn equipment away from the stream
 Wee Stinky Design

How will you provide evidence that your

design will solve the problem?
Water Surface Profiles
 Broad-crested Weir

3-D Cross Sections

homework homework plan 2 4/21/99
Legend

WS PF#1
Ground
Bank Sta
Ground
 Boundary Condition Editor

Known Water Surface

Critical Depth
Normal Depth
Rating Curve