HEC-RAS

Unsteady Flow
~
Boundary Conditions, Simulation
and
Post Processing

Jon Fripp
NDCSMC
2016
 Module: 1-D Boundary
Conditions, Simulation and
Post Processing
 Boundary Conditions
• What, Why, Where
 Simulation
• How to
 Post processing
• What did you run and how to look at it

2
Boundary Conditions
 Must be established at all ends of the river system (As
with Steady flow, the unsteady flow data file defines flow and starting
conditions for the simulation)
 External Boundaries required at the Upstream and
Downstream ends of the river.
• Flow Hydrograph
• Stage Hydrograph
• Flow and Stage Hydrograph
• Rating Curve
• Normal Depth
 For most situations, the simulation will route an
upstream flow hydrograph, using a downstream rating
curve or normal depth assumption. 3
 A big difference with unsteady flow is
Initial Conditions that we must define the Initial
Conditions at the start of simulation

 Initial conditions for entire system – required

• Initial Flows in reach
• Storage
 Read in flow and stage from a previous run
(“hot start”)

 Internal boundary conditions in river system –

optional
• Lateral inflow into a node
• Uniform lateral inflow across a reach
• Groundwater inflow
• Gate openings (Time or elevation)
• Observed internal stage/flow hydrograph 4
 Q: How is this done?

A: All from the Unsteady

Flow Data editor.

Unsteady Flow Data Editor on main menu

…or click Unsteady Flow Data button
 Unsteady Flow Data Editor

The user is required to enter

• Boundary conditions at all of the external boundaries of the system
• Any desired internal boundary conditions
• Initial flow
• Storage area conditions
Boundary Conditions
 Editor shows
required external
boundaries
 Boundary Type
shows available
options
 Upstream options:
• Stage Hydrograph
• Flow Hydrograph
• Stage & Flow
Inappropriate options
Hydrograph
are grayed-out
 Sources of Time-Series Data
 Historic Records (USGS)
• Stage Hydrographs
• Flow Hydrographs
 Computed Synthetic Floods
 Rainfall-runoff modeling
 Peak Discharge with
assumed time distribution
 Others?
Flow Hydrograph

 Read from DSS

• Select DSS file
• Select Pathname
OR
 Enter in Table
• Select time interval
• Select start date/time
• Enter flow data - or
cut & paste
 Enter Flow Data
The user has the option of entering a flow hydrograph directly
into a table. Note DATA TIME INTERVAL
Flow Min & 1. The flow hydrograph for
model boundaries can be
Multiplier monitored to ensure that the
flow values do not drop
below an input minimum
value. If the value is less
than the minimum, the value
is set to the minimum.
2. The flow hydrograph for
model boundaries can be
easily modified by a
constant ratio. This allows
easy testing of model
sensitivity to input flow
values, or an analysis of
model results with larger
flood events.
 Boundary Conditions
 Downstream Boundary Options:
• Stage Hydrograph (gage data on the stream, or tidal cycle)
• Flow Hydrograph (gage data converted to flow)
• Stage & Flow (combined observed stage and forecasted flow)
• Rating Curve (rating at a gauged location, or steady-flow rating)
• Normal Depth (average slope of stream to estimate energy slope)
 A Stage Hydrograph is
Stage typically from a stream gage
Hydrograph or tidal cycle. (time vs stage)

 Read from DSS

• Select DSS file
• Select Pathname

 Enter in Table
• Select time interval
• Select start date/time
• Simulation time
• Fixed starting time
• Can paste from spreadsheet
  A Downstream rating
Rating Curve Curve Boundary Condition
is typically from a gage
 Enter by hand or from a DSS
file
 It is a single valued
relationship (no loop) which
may be an issue in mild
gradient streams

It is important to make sure that the ratering curve boundary

condition is a sufficient distance downstream of the study area,
such that any errors introduced by the single valued rating
curve does not affect the study reach.
  Normal depth is typically
Normal Depth used as a downstream
boundary condition but it can
also be upstream.
 Enter Friction (energy) Slope
 Usually the average stream
slope
 Program uses Manning’s
equation to compute stage

As with steady flow, it is important to make

sure that the starting point is a sufficient
distance downstream of the study area,
such that any errors introduced by the
normal depth assumption does not affect
the study reach.
  Not required
Internal Boundary  Examples:
Conditions • Lateral Inflow
Hydrograph
• Uniform Lateral
Inflow
• Groundwater
Interflow
• Storage Area
Inflow
• Gate openings
• Elevation
controlled
gates
• Navigation
Dams
 Initial Conditions
The user must also establish then
initial conditions of the system at the
beginning of the unsteady flow
simulation
Two options:
1. Initial Flow and
Storage Levels
1. Restart File
 Initial Conditions Data
 Initial Flow data
• Should be nearly
steady-state conditions
• Starting flow from
upstream hydrograph
• Flow distribution from
Steady Flow profile
 Initial Elevation in Storage
areas
• Stage from historic data
• Initial early in event, dry
conditions
 Options Menus
 Delete an added Boundary Condition
 Internal RS Initial Stages Flow
 Minimum and Flow Ratio Table
 Add Observed Data
Observed (Measured) Data
1. Time Series in DSS
2. High Water Marks
3. Rating Curve (Gage)
Save
your data

Just a good
thing to do

Note the ‘u’ in the filename

Perform the Hydraulic Computations
Enter the Steady Flow Analysis
window from the main menu

or select the Unsteady Flow

Analysis button:
Unsteady Flow Simulation Manager

Define a Plan

Select files

Select which
programs to run
Enter a starting and
ending date and time

Set the computation

settings

Press the Compute

button
 Unsteady Flow Simulation
Manager
Programs to Run
1. Geometry
2. Unsteady Flow
Simulation
3. Post Processing

1. Geometric Preprocessor: Processes the geometric data into a series of hydraulic property
tables
2. Unsteady Flow Simulation: Uses the Barkau matrix solver to perform unsteady flow
calculations. Can also perform unsteady sediment analysis
3. Post Processor: Computes detailed hydraulic info per user specifications
4. Floodplain Mapping: Computation of static flood inundation maps (Depth Grid). Requires
Static Map Layer in HEC-RAS Mapper
 Unsteady Flow Simulation Manager

Mixed Flow – Be Careful!

Only use mixed flow if

you really think you have
a mixed flow regime
situation. This increases
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model instability.
Unsteady Flow Simulation Manager

The user is required to enter a time

window that defines the start and
end of a simulation period. The time
is entered in military style
 Unsteady Flow Simulation Manager
Enter the computational interval

we often end up setting this time

on the order of 1 to 10 minutes.
 Model Stability
An unstable numerical model is one for which
certain types of numerical errors grow to the
extent at which the solution begins to oscillate,
or the errors become so large that the
computations can not continue.

It has to do with computational

problems that get worse until
the model gives up
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 Detecting Stability Problems
 How do you know you
have a stability problem?
• Program completely
blows up during run
• Program goes to
maximum number of
iterations for several
time steps in a row.
• Program has
oscillations in the
computed stage and
flow hydrographs
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 Detecting Stability Problems -
Continued
 What do you do when this happens?
• Note the simulation time when the program either blew up
or first started to oscillate.
• Turn on the “Detailed Output for Debugging” option and re-
run the program (options -> Output Options).
• View the text file that contains the detailed log output of
the computations. Locate the simulation output at the
simulation time when the solution first started to go bad.
• Find the river station locations
that did not meet the solution
tolerances. Then check the data
in this general area.
 Factors Affecting Model
Stability and Numerical
Accuracy

 Solution iterations
 Solution tolerances
 Theta weighting factor
 Cross Section Spacing
 Computation time step
Calculation Options and Tolerances

Weir and spillway stability factor 1.0 is most accurate but 3.0 is most stable.
Increasing the factor provides greater damping of the flows but less accuracy.
Solution Tolerance: user can set water surface (0.02 default) and storage are
elevation (0.05 default). Larger ones can be good for most systems but can
reduce stability. Smaller tolerances can make the program 32 hit the max number
of iterations.
 Theta Weighting Factor
 Theta is a weighting applied to the finite difference
approximations when solving the unsteady flow
equations.
 Theoretically Theta can vary from 0.5 to 1.0.
However a practical limit is from 0.6 to 1.0
 Theta of 1.0 provides the most stability. Theta of
0.6 provides the most accuracy.
 The default in HEC-RAS is 1.0. Once you have
your model developed, reduce theta towards 0.6,
as long as the model stays stable.
 Cross Section Spacing - How
do you know if you have
enough XS:
 Steeper slopes require more sections
 Look for big changes in KRATIO
 Rapid changes need more sections
 Use the HEC-RAS cross section interpolation.
 Make a new plan and run the model.
 Compare the before and after.
Model Sensitivity

 Numerical sensitivity:
• Computation time step – try a smaller value to
see if the output changes significantly.
• Theta – start at 1.0, after you have a working
model then try to reduce it towards 0.6.
• Weir/Spillway stability factors – if you are using
stability factors, try to reduce them to the lowest
value you can get away with.
• Weir/Spillway exponential decay factors – in
general I would leave them alone, they will not
affect the sensitivity of the output much.
 Model Sensitivity - Continued
 Physical Parameter Sensitivity:
• Manning’s n Values – What if the true n values were 10%
higher or Lower?
• Cross Section Spacing – Test by interpolating
• Cross Section Storage – What if there is really more or
less storage in the cross sections (I.e. ineffective flow
areas, etc…)
• Weir/Spillway coefficients – For lateral weirs/spillways the
coefficient selected can have a great impact on the
results.
• Bridge/Culvert Parameters – normally only affect the
locally computed stages, unless it is a flat area in which
the bridge causes great backwater.
Viewing Unsteady Flow Results
All of the output that was
available for steady flow
computations is
available for unsteady
flow
 Stage and flow
hydrographs
 Time series tables
 Animation of cross
section, profile and 3-
dimensional graphic
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Unsteady Flow Simulation Manager
The Hydrograph Output Interval is used to define at
what intervals the computed stage and flow
hydrographs will be written to HEC-DSS. Therefore it
must be larger than the computational interval.
The Detailed Output Interval allows the user to
specify specified time intervals during the simulation
where profiles of WSE and flows will be written.
Stage and Flow Hydrographs
User Selected Locations
the program automatically
specifies the locations at the
beginning and end of every reach
 Post Processor
 The Post Processor takes the results from
the UNET unsteady flow run and writes
them to a HEC-DSS file
 Can be run after the unsteady simulation is
completed
 Provides profiles for the maximum stage and
at regular intervals
 All regular graphics and tables can be used
to view the post process results
 Graphics can “animate” the simulation
 Program Output Flow Chart

Unsteady Stage & Flow

Simulation Hydrographs

Log File DSS Viewer

DSS
File

XS Plots

Post PF Plots
Processor Output
File
PF & XS
41 Tables
Everything Available for Steady
is in Unsteady
Stage and Flow Plot
Unsteady Flow Rating Curve
Profiles data and animation
Sections

Stage
Unsteady modeling can be difficult

Be careful

May 2009 150 Unsteady Post 43

The
End

May 2009 150 Unsteady Post 44