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

Upcoming dates (1)

Jul. 22-24, 2025

Madison, WI or Live Online

Course Overview

This is a foundational course for using HEC-RAS and will give you hands-on workshop experience applying HEC-RAS to real-world problems.

Learners will benefit from hands-on applications throughout the course. We also offer demos of RAS 2025 (In Alpha version currently and not yet fully released)

No prior experience with HEC-RAS is required.

Learning Outcomes

  • Update and improve your proficiency in flood analysis
  • Evaluate and use different HEC-RAS program options
  • Understand assumptions and applications for bridge modeling methods
  • Learn how to use program solutions for mixed flow, multiple culverts, and bridge openings.

Who Should Attend?

This course will benefit engineers or other professionals who have experience with hydraulic studies and investigations.

Additional Information

The class includes lectures and hands-on computer workshops that will give you a solid understanding of the theory behind the model as well as a practical ability to work the model effectively. We will use the current version of HEC-RAS.  In addition to the program itself, you’ll receive valuable resources and references.    

For either the on-line or in-person course, you will need a windows laptop that has:

  • A high-speed internet connection
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader or other reader to be able to open and read PDFs
  • Microsoft Excel

Click here to get information on all of our HEC-RAS related courses.

Course Outline

Note that the course is offered in two different formats:

Our fully Online format:

  • 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 2-4 hours per week on the course.
  • This format offers significant flexibility for working professionals and can accommodate a variety of schedules.

Our HyFlex format is offered in “Madison, WI or Live Online”

  • This format is offered Live over 3 consecutive days from 9am-5pm Central Time
  • Participants must select whether they will attend In-Person (in Madison, WI) or online.
  • For those who wish to review content after the course, pre-recorded content will be made available for approximately 1 month after the 3-day session concludes (We are unable to provide a recording of the 3-day session itself).

 

Online Course Schedule (Offered over 6 weeks)

  • Week 1, Topic 1: River Modeling Basic Concepts and Geometry Data
  • Week 2, Topic 2: Flow Data and HEC-RAS Modeling
  • Week 3, Topic 3: Bridge Modeling Using HEC-RAS
  • Week 4, Topic 4: Culvert Modeling Using HEC-RAS
  • Week 5, Topic 5: Introduction to RAS Mapper and 2D Modeling
  • Week 6, Topic 6: Output Review and Analysis

 

HyFlex (In-person and Online) Course Schedule (Offered over 3 consecutive days)

Day 1

  • Calculating Water Surface Profiles

o   Concepts of open channel flow and floodplain hydraulics

o   Energy principles

o   Flow resistance equations

o   Momentum concepts

  • HEC-RAS Modeling - Geometry

o   Geometric and flow data

o   Program options

o   Sources of data

  • Developing a Geometry Model with HEC-RAS: Workshop

o   Starting HEC-RAS

o   Steps in developing a hydraulic model

o   Starting a new project

o   Entering geometric data

o   Entering steady flow data

o   Performing the hydraulic computations

o   Viewing and printing results

o   Getting and using help

  • HEC-RAS Modeling: Flow Data, Compute Profiles, and View Results

o   Define steady-flow data and boundary conditions

o   Perform hydraulic computations

o   View graphics and tables

  • Calculation of Water Surface Profiles: Workshop

o   How to enter data into HEC-RAS

o   How to perform the hydraulic computations

o   Viewing results

  • Review Workshop

o   Viewing results

o   Cross-section plots

o   Profile plot

o   X-Y-Z plot

o   Summary tables

o   Errors, warnings, and notes

o   Output review for workshop

  • Geometry Options

o   Multiple plan analysis

o   Optional friction loss equations

o   Cross-section interpolation

o   Mixed flow regime calculations

o   Modeling stream junctions

o   Flow distribution calculations

  • Bridge Modeling with HEC-RAS

o   Nature of flow through bridges

o   Components of bridge losses

o   Cross-section locations

o   Defining ineffective flow areas

o   Contraction and expansion losses

  • HEC-RAS Bridge Input-Output

o   Entering and editing bridge data

o   Defining a bridge modeling approach

o   Bridge modeling options

o   Example bridge application

o   Pertinent bridge output

Day 2

  • Bridge Modeling Workshop 

o   Entering and editing bridge data

o   Performing bridge hydraulic computations

o   Reviewing pertinent results

  • Bridge Workshop Review

o   Overview of Culvert Hydraulics

o   Definition of terms

o   Input requirements

o   Cross-section locations

o   Ineffective flow areas

o   Expansion and contraction coefficients

o   Inlet control

o   Outlet control

o   Solution logic

  • Culvert Modeling with HEC-RAS

o   Cross-section locations

o   Multiple culvert options

o   Program output

  • Culvert Modeling Workshop

o   Entering and editing culvert data

o   Culvert modeling options

o   Example culvert applications

Day 3

  • RAS Mapper 

o   RAS Mapper Overview

o   Setting the projection file

o   Adding a terrain model

o   Preprocessing 1D elements

o   Viewing results in RAS Mapper 

  • 2-D Basics in HEC-RAS 

o   Principles of quasi-steady flow modeling

o   Adding a 2D area

o   Manning's "n" values for 2D areas

o   Entering flow data for 2D areas

o   Running a 2D model and reviewing results

  • RAS Mapper and 2D Workshop

o   Set the projection file and create terrain

o   Create a 2D area

o   Run the 2D model and review results 

  • Output Review and Analysis

o   How to interpret HEC-RAS output messages (errors, warnings, and notes)

o   Diagnosing common data input mistakes

o   Using the HEC-RAS "log file" to understand more about the computations and possible problems

  • HEC-RAS Output Analysis Workshop

o   Analyze HEC-RAS output

o   Resolve data model errors

Instructor

Christopher Goodell

Chris Goodell is the Principal Consultant for H&H at Kleinschmidt Associates and works out of the Portland Oregon office.  He is a registered professional engineer and diplomate of water resources engineering.  Chris has over 28 years of experience in water resources engineering with a specialization in computational hydraulics and probabilistic modeling, and teaching HEC-RAS to professionals and students around the world. He is a former developer of HEC-RAS and is the author of the blog The RAS Solution, the book “Breaking the HEC-RAS Code, and co-host of the Full Momentum podcast.”    Chris has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Oregon State University and a master’s degree in hydraulic engineering from IHE Delft in The Netherlands. 

Upcoming dates (1)

Program Director

Adib Amini

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