HEC-RAS Version 3.

1
Unsteady Flow

Presented by:
Feb 2003

slides adapted from HEC

HEC-RASFlow
Version
3.
Unsteady
Course

Unsteady Flow Documentation

Technical/theoretical - Chapters 2 and 5 from

EM 1110-2-1416
http://www.hnd.usace.army.mil - click on
TECHINFO, then Engineering Publications,
then Engineering Manuals, scroll for manual
HEC-RAS Users Manual - Chapter 8 (data
input and window operations)
HEC-RAS Application Guide - Chapter 17
(example application)
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When to use Unsteady Flow

Tidal/estuary fluctuation
Off-channel storage
Dam breach routing
Channels with flat slopes
Levee overtopping
Hydraulic structures affected by changing
backwater
Large amounts of storage behind roads or culverts
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Steady vs. Unsteady

Difference in handling boundary friction and

other losses
Difference in numerical solution algorithm
Difference in handling non-flow areas
Difference in flow and boundary condition data
requirements
Difference in calibration strategy
Difference in application strategy
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Unsteady Flow Equations

Momentum Equation:
2

Q
Q /A) gA( h ) 0
t
x
x S o S f

Continuity Equation:

Q + A = 0
x t
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Steady Flow Equations

Energy (momentum) Equation:

( Q2 /A)
+ gA( h - So + S f ) = 0
x
x
Continuity Equation:

Q = VA
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Distance vs Time Solution Grid

X = distance, feet
t = time, seconds

2,2

1,2

1,1
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7

Finite Difference Term

Q
----- =
X

Q (2,2) - Q(1,2)
----------------------- + ( 1 X

Q(2,1) - Q(1,1)
) --------------------X

= theta weighting factor 0.5 <

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< 1.0

Pre-Computation of Hydraulic
Properties
Steady Compute exact hydraulic
properties at a section for each trial
water surface elevation from the
elevation/station points, n-values.
Unsteady Hydraulic properties
are pre-computed for all possible
water surface elevations at each
cross section (hydraulic table)

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Expansion/Contraction Coeffs.
Not used in the momentum
formulation (RAS-unsteady)
Should be in the data, however, for
use with steady flow analysis

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Data Requirements
(Flow and Boundary Conditions)

Steady: Discharge (Q) at each

cross section.
Unsteady: Inflow hydrograph(s)
which are routed by the model.

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Prepare hydrographs
(boundary conditions)
Upstream flows
Tributary (local flows)
Ungaged/unmodeled flows
Downstream (rating curve?)

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HEC-RAS Main Window

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Entering Geometric Parameters

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Cross Section Table Properties

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Pre-processing Geometry

For unsteady flow, geometry is preprocessed into tables and rating curves
Cross

sections are processed into tables of

area, conveyance, and storage
Bridges and culverts are processed into a
family of rating curves for each structure
Weirs and gated structures are calculated
on the fly during unsteady flow calculations
Pre-processor results can be viewed in
graphs and tables
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Cross Section Properties Plot

Property Table
RS = 138154.4

700

Legend
Conv. Channel

Elevation (ft)

690

Conv. Valley
Conv. Total

680

Storage

670

660

650

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Conveyance/1000 (cfs) Storage (cu ft)

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Geometry Preprocessor

What does it do?

Processes geometric data into a series of
hydraulic tables and rating curves.

Why do we use it for unsteady flow?

Instead of calculating hydraulic variables for
each cross-section during each iteration, the
program interpolates the hydraulic variables
from the tables.
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Conveyance Calculations
Manning Equation
1/2
Q = K Sf
K = Conveyance
Sf = friction/energy slope
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Conveyance Calculations

n1

nch

n2

A1 P1

A2 P2

Ach Pch

Klob = K1 + K 2

n3
A3 P3

Krob = K3
Kch

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Cross Section Example

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Geometry Preprocessor

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Hydraulic Property Plot

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Cross Section Properties Table

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Conveyance Subdivisions

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Conveyance Subdivisions

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Conveyance Subdivisions

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Conveyance Subdivisions

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Boundary and
Initial Conditions
Objectives:
Know boundary condition options
Know initial condition requirements
Sources of data for both

Unsteady Flow Data

External Boundaries required

Upstream

and Downstream ends of the river

Typically flow or stage hydrograph upstream
Typically rating or normal depth downstream

Internal Boundaries can be added

Add

flow within the river system

Define gate operation

Initial Conditions - at the start of simulation

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Unsteady Flow Data Editor

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Boundary Conditions

Editor shows required

external boundaries
Boundary Type shows
available options
Upstream options:

Stage Hydrograph
Flow Hydrograph
Stage & Flow
Hydrograph
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Boundary Conditions - continued

Downstream Boundary Options:

Stage Hydrograph
Flow Hydrograph
Stage & Flow Hydrograph
Rating Curve
Normal Depth

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Flow Hydrograph

Read from DSS

Enter in Table

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Select DSS file

Select Pathname

Select time interval

Select start date/time
Enter flow data - or
cut & paste

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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?

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Normal Depth

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Enter Friction (energy)

Slope
Program uses
Mannings equation to
compute stage
Provides semi-dynamic
downstream boundary

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Initial Conditions

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Requires an initial flow

for all reaches
Restart file can be
read from DSS
Enter steady-flow at
upstream boundary
Can add a flowchange location
Pool elevation for
storage areas

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File and Options Menus

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Unsteady Flow Simulation

Simulation Manager
1. Define a Plan
2. Select which
programs to run
3. Enter a starting and
ending date and time
4. Set the computation
settings

5. Press the Compute

button

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Output Selection

Unsteady Flow Output

Stage

and Flow
Hydrographs
Log File Output

Post Processor
Detailed

output

Max Stage
Selected Time Intervals
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Stage and Flow Hydrographs

User Selected Locations

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Viewing Unsteady Flow Results

All of the output that was available for
steady flow computations is available for
unsteady flow (cross sections, profile, and
3D plots and tables).
Stage and flow hydrographs
Time series tables
Animation of cross section, profile and 3dimensional graphic

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Stage and Flow Plot

Stage

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Unsteady Flow Rating Curve

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Log File Output

can be generated during computations
information about progression of
simulation
can make a large, large file

are

you sure you want to open it?

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Post Processor
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

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Profile Animation

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Accuracy/Stability/Sensitivity
Objective
For students to have a better understanding
of model accuracy, stability, and sensitivity.
To become familiar with the available
parameters within HEC-RAS that will allow
you to develop a stable and accurate model.
To learn how to detect, find, and fix model
stability problems.

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Overview

Model Accuracy
Model Stability
Factors Affecting Accuracy and Stability

Cross section spacing

Computational time step selection
Practical delta t, hydrograph rise time / 20

Common Stability Problems

Detecting Stability Problems
Model Sensitivity
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Model Accuracy

Accuracy can be defined as the degree of closeness

of the numerical solution to the true solution.

Accuracy depends upon the following:

Assumptions and limitations of the model (i.e. one

dimensional model, subcritical flow only for unsteady flow)
Accuracy of the geometric Data (cross sections, Mannings
n values, bridges, culverts, etc)
Accuracy of the flow data and boundary conditions
Numerical Accuracy of the solution scheme
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Numerical Accuracy
If we assume that the 1-dimensional
unsteady flow equations are a true
representation of flow moving through a river
system, then only an analytical solution of
these equations will yield an exact solution.
Finite difference solutions are approximate.
An exact solution of the equations is not
feasible for complex river systems, so HECRAS uses a finite difference scheme.

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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.

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Factors Affecting Model Stability

and Numerical Accuracy
Cross Section Spacing
Computation time step
Theta weighting factor
Solution iterations
Solution tolerances

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Calculation Options and

Tolerances

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Cross Section Spacing

Cross sections should be placed at
representative locations to describe the
changes in geometry.
Additional cross sections should be
added at locations where changes occur
in discharge, slope, velocity, and
roughness.
Cross sections must also be added at
levees, bridges, culverts, and other
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structures.

Cross Section Spacing - Slope

Bed slope plays an important role in

cross section spacing.
Steeper

slopes require more cross sections

Streams flowing at high velocities may
require cross sections on the order of 100
feet or less.
Larger uniform rivers with flat slopes may
only require cross sections on the order of
1000 ft or more.
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Cross Section Spacing - How do you

know if you have enough XS:

Use the HEC-RAS cross section

interpolation.

Make a new plan and run the model.

Compare the before and after.

If no significant difference, then OK!

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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.
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Common Stability Problems

Too large of a time step.
Not enough cross sections
Model goes to critical depth RAS is limited
to subcritcal flow for unsteady flow
simulations
Bad downstream boundary condition (i.e.
rating curve or slope for normal depth)
Bad cross section properties, commonly
caused by: levee options, ineffective flow
areas, Mannings n values, etc..

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Common Stability Problems Continued

Cross section properties that do not go high
enough, or are way to high (curves are
spread to far apart).
Bad bridge/culvert family of rating curves.
Wide and flat lateral weirs/spillways send
to much flow over a given time step.
Gated spillways that are opened or closed to
fast.

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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.
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.
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Turning on Detailed Output for

Debugging

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Viewing Detailed Log Output

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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
effect the sensitivity of the output much.
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Model Sensitivity - Continued

Physical Parameter Sensitivity:

Mannings 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 effect the
locally computed stages, unless it is a flat area in which
the bridge causes great backwater.
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The End