SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

2thCIVIL ENGINEERING YEAR

Hydrology Course
End of Study Thesis
3thSession
Under the theme:

HYDROLOGICAL SIMULATION MODEL

(HEC-RAS)

Presented by:
Mohamed TAMMAL
 Applied Hydrology: Study of
floods

Problem of flooding

Le risque d’inondations se manifeste avec plus d’acuité dans les bassins

slopes. In addition to the natural hazard, a series of factors exacerbate the
vulnerability to flooding, particularly:
climate change,
The uncontrolled development of agricultural activity, and more
particularly from urbanization in flood-prone areas.
 The simulation model: HEC-RAS

HEC-RAS is an integrated software for hydraulic analysis that allows for

simulate free surface flows. It was designed by Hydrologic
Engineering Center of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. based on a
implicit finite difference scheme (Priessman scheme)

the HEC-RAS model interface

 Basic equation of HEC-RAS

-case regime gradually varied

The code solves the one-dimensional energy equation, the losses

being assessed by the Manning bottom friction formula
Strickler and by contraction/expansion formulas of
the flow.

v12 v22
ws1+ a=1 ws2+ a+ he 2
Water height (m). 2g 2g
Côte du fond (m).

V: Average speed over a section (m/s).

g: Gravity (m/s2).
a: Weighting coefficient. Water level Pressure losses
hePressure losses (m). ws= z+ y he= h f + hs
 Basic equation of HEC-RAS

Uniform debit

1
Q= ARH2 / 3S1f/ 2
n
A
R H= Sf= S0
P

debit
n: Manning's coefficient
A: surface of the section
RHhydraulic cylinder
Sffriction slope
wet perimeter
 Basic equation of HEC-RAS

Pressure losses:
h f pressure loss due to friction
h f= s f L
s f the friction slope and L no space
hs singular loss of charge

Contraction or expansion of the flow:

v12 v22
hs= C a-a
12
2g2g

C: coefficient of contraction/expansion
 Estimation of the Manning coefficient

Cowan's formula

n= (n0+ n1+ n2+ n3+ n4 )m5

With n0corrective factor of the riverbed grain size

n1corrective factor for the irregularities of the river.

n2corrective factor of the type of the cross-sectional profile

n3corrective factor of the effects of obstacles.

n4corrective factor of the effect of the presence of vegetation on

the banks.
m5corrective factor due to the degree of meandering in the river.
 Manning's coefficient as a function of
crossed terrains

Manning's coefficient attribute table

CODE Manning
Pathways and Uncultivated 0.100
Argan tree 0.120
Irrigated Crops 0.350
Wadi 0.030
Bour Field 0.100
Bati 0.200
 Basic equation of HEC-RAS

quickly varied diets

The study of balances and quantities of
¶A¶Q movement leads to a system of two
+ = qL
¶t¶x equations studied by Saint-Venant:
¶Q¶ Q æ 2 ö ¶Z
+ çç ÷÷+ gA= -gAS+ eQU
¶t¶x Aè ø ¶x

1 2 3 4
The temporal inertia. A

2: The convective acceleration.

3 The term of pressure.

Figure: The hydraulic variables
4:pressure loss due to friction.
 Presentation of the simulation model
(HEC-RAS)

HEC-RAS, a set of files, which is called a Project, is required.

to perform the hydraulic analysis of a watercourse

Project file: [Link]

Geometric data Geometric data Geometric data Flow: permanent/no

Filename.go1 File name.go2 Filename.go3 in permanent
File name.f01

Plan1 Plan2 Plan3

Filename.po1 File name.po2 File name.po2

File Simulation1 File Simulation2 File Simulation3

File name.ro1 File name.ro2 File name.ro3

Output file1 Output file2 Output file 3

File name.o01 File name.o02 File name.o03
Presentation of the simulation model
(HEC-RAS)
Projet (Project): Le fichier Projet contient le titre et la description
of the project, the system of units used and the links to all the files
which are associated with it. It has the .PRJ extension.
Geometry: This file contains all the information
geometric on the analyzed watercourse, that is, the tree diagram,
the cross sections, the distance between each section, the
Manning's coefficients and, where appropriate, the existing structures (bridges,
culverts). A project can include several geometries in order
to analyze different variants (for example with or without obstruction
in the river). The files can thus have the extension .G01 to
G.99.
Flow: The Flow file is used to simulate the flows.
permanent and temporary. It contains the number of Profiles in front
to be calculated, the flow data for each of them and the conditions
limits for each section. In the same way as before,
The file extension can be from .F01 to .F99.
Presentation of the simulation model
(HEC-RAS)
Plan (Plan): A Plan file contains a title and a description.
of the plan, similar to the information of a Project. It
contains furthermore, the reference to the Geometry and Flow files
associated with this Plan. The concept of Plan thus allows for simulation
different combinations of geometry and flow that can
to be necessary in the context of a hydraulic study. There is a
file .P** for each Plan and they may include
the extension .P01 to .P99.
Simulation (Run): The simulation file contains all the
data necessary for the execution of a simulation, defined at
the interior of a Plan. This file is automatically created by
HEC-RAS when a simulation is launched. Its extension can
be .R01 to .R99. For example, the .R01 file corresponds to the Plan
.P01.
Presentation of the simulation model
(HEC-RAS)

Results: All the results of a simulation are

contained in the Output file. The result files
have the extension O01 to O99 and their numbering is
also associated with that of the Plan files. All the files
created within the same project have the same name,
it is the one defined initially by the user. Only the extension
differs and the different file extensions are
automatically created by HEC-RAS and should not be
modified. For files whose extension includes a number,
this corresponds to the order in which the files were
saved. The numbering of the Plan, Run and Output files
is also linked to each other.
 The menus of HEC-RAS
File: allows you to open, create, and save a Project
(files with the .prj extension). The other options allow
to modify the project title or to delete all files
related to a project.

Edit: allows you to specify the basic data describing the

hydrographic system to be modeled as well as the
flow conditions in this system. The main stage of the
the creation of a modeling project with HEC-RAS is to
define the geometry of our watercourse by means of sections
transversals. Another option available in the Edit menu
for the study of steady flows in the watercourse
is Steady Flow Data and unsteady flow data... This option
allows specifying the flow rate values in the course
water that will need to be modeled, as well as the boundary conditions
of the flow.
 The menus of HEC-RAS

The other important element of the main window

for the creation of a project and the realization of
simulations is the Run menu. There are three options available.
disponibles: Steady Flow Analysis,Unsteady Flow
Analysis and Hydraulic Design... This option allows here
to define the Plan, which contains the reference to the regime
modeled flow, to the geometry of the watercourse
and the simulated rates.

View. It allows you to consult the different results.

obtained, either graphically with the functions of the
top part of the menu, or in a tabular way
with others.
 The menus of HEC-RAS

Options: contains certain operating parameters of HEC-

RAS. In Program Setup, go to Set Time for Automatic Backup.
This option allows you to specify the time interval that will be
used for the automatic backup of project data. In
the same menu, we check that Automatically Backup Data is checked.
Thus, as a safety measure, all data will be
saved in the file [Link], located in the
installation directory of HEC-RAS. The function "Default
Parameters allow specifying the expansion coefficients and
default shrinkage used for each new section
Transversal. The Unit System allows you to specify which system.
of unit is used for the project and also allows to change the
default unit system used for each new project.
Finally, the last function, Convert Project Units, allows to
convert a project from one unit system to another.
STAGES OF MODELING

Input data

Exit results
 Launch a Project in HEC-RAS

HEC-RAS Window (main)

Plan
Geometry
Flow

open (New Project window)

Title
File name (.prj)
Directory
 Long profile

Rivers
Reaches
X sections at
river stations
Junctions
 Data table of Sections

X-section

Elevation of X-section
stations

Distance to the next X-

downstream section

Value of the coefficient of

Manning

X-section of the banks

Contraction coefficients
and expansion
 Data from a cross section

X-section

Elevation of X-section

Distance to next
downstream cross-section

Manning's coefficient values

X-section stations of the

main channel banks

The coefficients of
Contraction and expansion
 Section data - Add/Edit

Copy X-section and use it in

another station

Adjust X-section station values

by multiplying by a number, or
adding a number

Adjust X-section station

elevations by adding a number
 Junction data

Length of the
junction

L1
L2
Geometric data visualization in
3D

Direction of Flow

Channel

Cross-Section
 Debit in permanent regime

Initial condition
 The Boundary Conditions

Types of conditions
limits
Water height
Debit
Infiltration
Debit lateral
Energy line pentagon
Calibration curve
 Plan
the plan is the combination of:

Geometry file (reach network, X-sections and junctions).

Permanent debit file (flows and boundary conditions).

 Overview

Input data

Model release
 Result - X-Section

Cross Section
Plots:

Water Surface
Elevation

Energy Grade Line

Floodplain Extent
 Results - Longitudinal Profile

Profile Plots:

Water Surface
Elevation

Energy Grade Line

 Result - calibration curve

Testing curve
 3D result

3D representation of
hydrographic networks

Water Surface Elevation

Energy Grade Line

Floodplain Extent
 Results table

Hydraulic value of the different

sections
 Summary of results

Hydraulic value of different rivers

 Application and Result

Ø Data preparation
Creation of the main watercourse (long profile)
Creation of storage surfaces.
Creation of flow paths.
Creation of the banks.
Combined 1D modeling
/ 2D with HEC-RAS

Starting from version 5 of HEC-RAS, this

model allows to carry out a
2D modeling or combining a
1D / 2D modeling, in a very
simple and quick. Here are the basic steps
to perform 2D modeling (or
combined 1D / 2D) in HEC-RAS:
The projection
cartographic

Choose a map projection from

HEC-RAS Mapper. This is done by selecting
an existing projection file in a file
of ESRI shapes.
Altitude data
Insert a terrain model in HEC-RAS Mapper. The
Terrain model is a requirement for a
2D modeling. It is also used to establish the
geometries and hydraulic properties of cells
2D and their faces. A terrain model is
also necessary to carry out the simulation of the
floods in HEC-RAS Mapper.
Manning's coefficient
Create a set of classification zones
the land use in HEC-RAS Mapper in order to
characterize the Manning values. HEC-RAS allows
also the drawing of polygons that can be
used to replace the occupancy data of the
sun or the calibration areas.
Dressing and visualization
Add the map layers
supplements possibly needed
for a good visualization, like the images
aerial, locations of dikes, networks
roadway, etc ...
Editing of geometry
In the geometry editor, draw a polygon of
boundary for each of the 2D modeling areas.
A possibility to import the X and Y coordinates of the
limit from another source is valid.
Geometry: lines of
rupture

Place the flow break lines in the area

2D in order to represent significant obstacles,
["such as: ditches, roads, natural embankments, structures"]
hydraulic, etc...
Creation of the 2D mesh
Create the 2D calculation mesh for each area of
2D modeling.
Modify the mesh to improve it, such as: add
additional break lines, increase or
reduce the mesh density as needed, Add
You remove the centers of the meshes if necessary.
Pre-processing and
combination with 1D model
Execute the 2D geometry pre-processing in the
Mapped RAS to create property tables
hydraulics of meshes and their faces.
Connect the 2D flow areas to the elements
1D hydraulics (river sections, structures
lateral, hydraulic connections with an area of
2D storage) according to needs.
Modeling of
hydraulic structures

Add all the necessary hydraulic structures to

the interior of a 2D flow area.
From the geometry data editor, draw the
boundary condition lines along the
perimeter of 2D flow zones.
Boundary conditions and
initial conditions
Enter the boundary condition data and
initial conditions necessary for 2D modeling
in the transient flow data editor.
In the transient flow window, set the
calculation options and the necessary parameters for the
2D flow zones.
Execution and exploitation
results

Run the simulation in transient mode.

Examine the combined 2D and 1D results in
RAS Mapper, as well as the use of capabilities
display of the simulation results
existing for the 1D parts of the model.
Thank you