HydroCad to HEC-RAS 1

[RWF7437]

I have a hypothetical stormwater system I wish to analyze in HEC-RAS using unsteady flow. I can generate hydrographs in HydroCad easily enough but getting them into HEC-RAS is a problem. I can enter them manually but that is a terribly tedious, and error prone, process.

Has anyone found a way to do this easily without having to key in hundreds of numbers ?

A system schematic is attached.

 

[psmart]

On the HydroCAD side, the best approach is to export the hydrograph(s) to a spreadsheet (CSV) format. There are two ways to do this:

1) To export a single hydrograph, open the tabular hydrograph report for the desired node, click Export, and select CSV format.

2) Or you can use auto-export, which will export all nodes automatically: Open the Settings|Export screen and select "Hydrograph Tables". Check "All Events" if you want to generate a separate column for each event. The export files are automatically updated every time you save the project in HydroCAD.

If necessary, you can manipulate the resulting data in a spreadsheet in order to produce a format that HEC-RAS will accept.


Peter Smart
HydroCAD Software

http://www.hydrocad.net

 

[RWF7437]

Thank you Mr. Smart,

Alas, the problem lies on the HEC-RAS side. I can export from HydroCad just fine but the only file format HEC-RAS seems to accept is something called a "dss" file. Nor will it allow me to copy and paste.

I'm hoping some experienced HEC-RAS users have found a workaround. Lacking that, perhaps I should be trying something other than HEC-RAS to analyze the system described ?

Thanks again.

 

[psmart]

If you can post a sample "dss" file it may provide some clues on the expected data format.

But you've posed an even more basic question: Why are you attempting to use HEC-RAS for this application? HydroCAD will do a basic reach routing (assuming normal flow conditions) that is sufficient for most applications. The primary reason to use HEC-RAS would be for a complete water surface profile, or to handle a channel with a variable cross-section.


Peter Smart
HydroCAD Software

http://www.hydrocad.net

 

[gbam]

HECRAS will let you cut and paste from excel. We do this all the time for cross sections. I am not sure about the hydrographs tho.

 

[RWF7437]

Thank you both for your suggestions.

gbam,
I can copy and paste cross sections but I haven't found a way to do the same thing with hydrographs. If I could my problem would be solved. I was hoping someone had found such a workaround.

Mr. Smart,

The reasons I'm trying to use HEC-RAS are that:
1. it is free
2. it can handle variable cross sections
3. It has no limits on the number of "nodes"
4. I am familiar with it
5. I do want a complete water surface profile ( hgl )
6. I want to run many different hydrographs through this collection system and vary the system in several ways.



While I can do some of these things in HydroCad my 5 node version quickly becomes inadequate. I may be able to use HEC-HMS ( also free ) or StormNet ( expensive ) or possibly some other programs.

I don't yet have a .dss file example but I suspect it is a simple text file with a few special lines inserted at the beginning and end. If my suspicion is correct, then it may be easy to export HydroCad files directly to .dss format. If I find an example I will post it here.

Thank you both again. Your suggestions are moving me a little closer to a solution.

 

[RWF7437]

Or...............has anyone been able to do this in SWMM ?

 

[gbam]

I do not have any unsteady RAS experience but I have used dss files from HEC-1 to import into other HEC-1 files, I am a little oldschool i guess.

Here is a potential work around: First import hydrographs to HEC-1/HECHMS. Then export as DSS/create dss file. Use this dss to import to RAS.

If you try this let us know if it works I am interested in learning.

 

[RWF7437]

Sorry gbam,

That didn't work either.

Looks like I may have to spend $$$ for something like Stormnet,
XPSWMM,
or similar programs.

Any ans allopinions on these are invited.

 

[bpattengale]

http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-dss/hecdss-dss.html

Try this, just did a google search and after a few links found this. At a brief glance it looks like you should be able to create a dss file using this tool.