HEC-RAS Intensive Workshop

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Course Overview

There’s no question that HEC-RAS, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System program, is an incredibly powerful tool. However, it’s also no secret that it can be overwhelming, challenging and, in the hands of an inexperienced user, the end result could be numerical instability and severely flawed analyses. Can you afford that outcome on your projects?

To help you make sense of HEC-RAS, we’ve recruited Joe Skupien, one of the most highly rated instructors in hydrology and hydraulics, to teach this hands-on training class. He will provide a comprehensive overview of the steady flow capabilities of the current version (V6.1.0) of HEC-RAS.

The HEC-RAS Workshop will include a series of presentations and workshops specifically arranged to continually increase the students’ understanding and expand their use of the HEC-RAS software. Student questions, including those regarding specific HEC-RAS modeling projects, are welcomed throughout the workshop.

Course Outline

Days 1 and 2

Days 1 and 2 will begin with a review of open channel flow theory, which is the foundation of HEC-RAS, as well as the program’s modeling capabilities and limitations. An overview of both program and project start-up, data input, and the various forms of output reporting will be presented as well as a detailed discussion of cross section location and alignment, energy loss coefficients, discharges and starting water surface elevations, and other required modeling decisions.

Days 3 and 4

Days 3 and 4 will begin with a workshop that will use the open channel flow theory and HEC-RAS features presented in Days 1 and 2 to develop a multiple water surface model of a real waterway. This will be followed by a description of the various methods for computing floodways in HEC-RAS and a second workshop that will include all the steps needed to develop an actual floodway. The days will conclude with a detailed discussion of bridge hydraulics, including the different types of flow conditions encountered at bridges, the various bridge modeling approaches available in HEC-RAS, and guidance on selecting bridge cross-section locations, energy loss coefficients, ineffective flow areas, and the most appropriate modeling approach.

Days 5 and 6

Days 5 and 6 will begin with a workshop that will apply the bridge hydraulics and HEC-RAS bridge modeling approaches presented in Days 3 and 4 to model the hydraulic effects of a bridge on an actual waterway. This will be followed by a detailed discussion of culvert hydraulics that, similar to the bride presentation, will include guidance on selecting culvert cross-section locations, energy loss coefficients, and ineffective flow areas. The proceedings will conclude with a workshop that will apply this information to model the effects of a multiple-conduit culvert on an actual waterway.

Featured Topics

After completing this HEC-RAS training course, attendees will:

• Understand the basic theories of open channel, floodway, and bridge and culvert flow used by HEC-RAS;
• Understand HEC-RAS capabilities, limitations, input needs, sources, and output options;
• Select appropriate bridge and culvert modeling methods;
• Create and execute a HEC-RAS project; and
• Identify input errors and modeling problems to help insure “accurate and reasonable” program output.

Note: This course will cover 1-dimensional steady flow through channels, floodplain, floodways, bridges, and culverts. It will not cover scour, sediment transport, or dam breaks. In addition, it will not cover any of the GIS Tools such as RAS Mapper.

Who Should Attend?

This class is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their understanding of HEC-RAS in order to utilize this software effectively for their modeling projects. Past participants have included:

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