This course explores advanced hydraulic structure modeling in HEC-RAS and is the third course in our pathway of HEC-RAS courses.

Participants will evaluate modeling approaches for bridges, culverts, weirs, dam structures, and related hydraulic controls; enter detailed structure geometry; choose appropriate coefficients and breach parameters; compute losses; generate rating curves; export structure results; and troubleshoot common structure-related model issues. The course emphasizes defensible model setup and interpretation for design, floodplain studies, infrastructure review, and risk assessment.

Our HEC-RAS pathway of courses is as follows:

1.     Using HEC-RAS to Model Bridges, Culverts, and Floodplains

2.     Advanced 2D Modeling with HEC-RAS and RAS Mapper

3.     Advanced Hydraulic Structures in HEC-RAS (this course)

4.     Rainfall-Runoff Modeling with HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS

It is highly recommended that participants take the earlier courses in the HEC-RAS pathway before taking this course; however, it is not required.

• Engineers, hydrologists, floodplain managers, consultants, agency reviewers, planners, and technical staff who prepare, review, or use hydraulic models.
• Professionals who model or review bridges, culverts, weirs, dams, road embankments, and related hydraulic structures.
• Consultants and technical professionals performing hydraulic studies or regulatory submittals.
• Government agency staff and planners responsible for flood risk assessment, permitting, or infrastructure review.
• All participants who have taken other HEC-RAS Courses in our HEC-RAS pathway of courses at UW-Madison

Participants will complete hands-on workshops using the current version of HEC-RAS and RAS Mapper.

A Windows laptop is required. Participants should install required software before the first session and confirm that they can open the workshop files.

All students will need a Windows laptop that has:

·       A high-speed internet connection

·       HEC-RAS, current version

·       Microsoft Excel

·       Adobe Acrobat Reader or another PDF reader

This course is offered online:

• Offered over 6 weeks, with pre-recorded content, exercises, and a 1.5 hour Live session each week.
• A recording will be made available of the live session for those who cannot attend.
• Participants should expect to spend 3-5 hours per week on the course.
• This format offers significant flexibility for working professionals and can accommodate a variety of schedules.

Online Course Schedule (Offered over 6 weeks)

• Week 1, Topic 1: Modeling Approaches for Hydraulic Structures
• Week 2, Topic 2: Single and Multi-Barrel Pipe and Box Culverts
• Week 3, Topic 3: Bridge Decks, Piers, Abutments, Headwalls, and Wingwalls
• Week 4, Topic 4: Weir Coefficients and Dam Breach Parameters
• Week 5, Topic 5: Structure Losses and Rating Curves
• Week 6, Topic 6: Exporting Results, Scour Protection, and Troubleshooting

Topics covered over the 6 week course:

Modeling Approaches for Hydraulic Structures

Selecting the right representation for the structure and project purpose

·       Review of 1D, 2D, and combined 1D/2D structure modeling options

·       Choosing between bridges, culverts, inline structures, lateral structures, storage area/2D connections, and terrain-based representations

·       Data requirements for structure geometry, survey, plans, inspection records, and field verification

·       Understanding project objectives: design, floodplain mapping, dam safety, screening, or alternatives analysis

·       Model setup quality control for structure hydraulics

Single and Multi-Barrel Pipe and Box Culverts

Detailed culvert inputs, coefficients, and result interpretation

·       Culvert geometry, shape, inlet and outlet configuration, and barrel data

·       Single barrel, multi-barrel, pipe, box, arch, and embedded structure considerations

·       Inlet control, outlet control, tailwater, entrance losses, and outlet losses

·       Roadway overtopping and combined culvert and weir flow

·       Hands-on culvert modeling exercise and result review

Bridge Decks, Piers, Abutments, Headwalls, and Wingwalls

Representing bridge geometry and flow losses

·       Bridge opening geometry, deck and roadway data, low chord, high chord, and pressure flow considerations

·       Pier geometry, abutments, skew, ineffective flow areas, blocked obstructions, and contraction/expansion reaches

·       Modeling headwalls, wingwalls, approach embankments, and related controls

·       Selecting bridge computation methods and reviewing output tables

·       Diagnosing unrealistic bridge losses, ineffective flow behavior, and flow distribution issues

Weir Coefficients and Dam Breach Parameters

Using hydraulic controls and breach assumptions responsibly

·       Inline and lateral weirs, broad-crested weirs, sharp-crested weirs, ogee controls, and roadway overtopping

·       Selecting and documenting weir coefficients

·       Dam breach parameter inputs, breach timing, breach geometry, and sensitivity considerations

·       Boundary conditions and routing effects for dam and reservoir scenarios

·       Uncertainty, conservatism, and communication of breach modeling assumptions

Structure Losses and Rating Curves

Quantifying hydraulic behavior across flow ranges

·       Computing and reviewing contraction, expansion, entrance, exit, pier, pressure flow, and weir losses

·       Developing rating curves for culverts, bridges, weirs, and other controls

·       Comparing alternatives and documenting governing hydraulic conditions

·       Using plan comparisons and sensitivity runs to understand model behavior

·       Linking hydraulic results to design criteria and regulatory questions

Exporting Results, Scour Protection, and Troubleshooting

Preparing practical deliverables and resolving common problems

·       Exporting tables, profiles, cross-section plots, maps, and structure-specific results

·       Interpreting velocity, shear, depth, overtopping, and freeboard outputs

·       Applying hydraulic results to scour protection screening and preliminary countermeasure discussions

·       Troubleshooting warning messages, nonconvergence, blocked flow, unexpected overtopping, and unrealistic rating curves

·       Final model review checklist, questions and answers, and wrap-up

Krey Price

Krey Price is a civil engineer specializing in water resources. Krey is based in Perth, Australia, where he provides consulting and training services in flood modeling. Krey has a master’s degree in hydraulic and coastal engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. Krey’s thirty-year career has included modeling, design, and project management for international flood mitigation projects.