1. 1999 Stormwater and Water Systems Modeling
Visual Hydro: Merging the Engineering of SWMM to a Comprehensive Civil Engineering Design Software Package (CAiCE)
Anthony Kuch, Robert Dickinson, Alan Akman and Jayant Keskar CAiCE Software Corporation
February 18, 1999
1999 Stormwater and Water Systems Modeling
Mississauga, ON

2. Current State of SWMM and SWMM Interfaces
SWMM has a rich history, analyzing and optimizing combined and separate storm and wastewater networks
1990’s has seen the emergence of many GUIs for SWMM
Windows SWMM, MIKE SWMM, SWMM Duet, PCSWMM, and XP-SWMM
Interfaces increase productivity, usability, model understanding, creates DSS for SWMM

3. Is There Trouble in Paradise?
Today’s popular SWMM interfaces do not integrate SWMM to the full scope of the design process
Activities in the design process include:
drafting, production of engineering drawings
survey and right-of-way maps
surface modeling
watershed delineation
pay item quantities (cost calculations)
esthetics (visualization)

4. Barriers to SWMM Usage for Design
Financial Obstacles
model is free, but software cost not full cost
Political Objections
inertia to change to new models and methods
Legal Considerations
right-of-way, land acquisition
Whole Product Deficiencies
support, documentation
Model Incapability
not all processes modeled

5. Financial Considerations
More data more money
Longer run times
Iterative design process
Difficult to learn, troubleshoot and use
Inefficient CUI or GUI for modeling alternatives and rerunning the model
Other software required for design, GIS, CAD, database

6. Political
Are the methods (SCS hydrology or SWMM Runoff) accepted by the client?
Is the model accepted (some are moving to SWMM)
FEMA acceptance of SWMM 4.3 vs. SWMM 4.4
All deliverables should be in the same model
Switching to a new model (inertia to change)
Existing guidelines and drainage manuals

7. Legal Considerations FEMA Right-of-way
Lot Line, survey and parcel description
Litigation and precedence
Modeling confidence

8. Whole Product Concept
Source for accurate, timely and comprehensive support
Bug fixes (in-house programming)
Current documentation
3rd Party complimentary products (GIS, WQ)
Training materials and programs
Case histories and testimonials
Customization
User community

9. Model Deficiencies Culvert and bridge algorithms
Boundary conditions (rating curve)
Layout of network (node coordinates, drawn conduit lengths, scaled layout)
Pipe design (sizing and optimization)
Alternate hydrology methods
Import and export routines (GIS, asset management, other databases)
No GUI (SWMM) or no GUI for design
Interface to CAD (read and write)
Database for SQL, report generation

10. Create CAiCE Objects from MicroStation & AutoCAD Drawing Elements

11. Display Ridges and Crests on the DTM Use Water Flow Path to Locate Inlets
Create the drainage network from the water flow model.

12. Automated Watershed Catchment Delineation from the Triangulated Surface

13. Dynamic Catchment Delineation for Inlet Design and Location

14. Dialog and Spreadsheet Editing with the ACCESS database allows DDE and SQL

15. Export X-Sections to HEC2 and HECRAS

16. 3D Visualization of Surfaces, Inundation, and Sewer Networks

17. Compose Plan and Profile Sheets

18. Inlet and Spread Analysis
Use SWMM to model flows that enter the conduit system
Dual Drainage Capabilities

19. Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
Create VBA Macros to automate a chain of functions to complete a task (Tugboats)
Use VBA to link to Microsoft Office for report generation, data exchange and presentation
Interface with GIS
Exchange data with models
Create custom functions and interaface

20. Example using VBA to map data from/to Visual Hydro and GIS

21. Other Graphical Tools & Capabilities
Write Directly to DWG and DGN files
Use vector and raster background images (map aerial photos to 3D surfaces)
Modify the transparency of surfaces to see underground utilities and soil profiles
Create, design and view river cross sections
Merge open channel designs into existing surfaces

22. New Hydrology Capabilities
Rational Formula with Partial Area Checking creates Triangular Hydrographs for input into SWMM
Initial and Continuing and Proportional Losses for Infiltration
Direct link of hydrology data (area, width, time of concentration) to hydrology method
Creation of catchment data from automated delineation, slope, area, width
Infiltration parameters based on feature codes

23. Hydraulic Features
Inlet restriction by threshold value or rating of gutter vs. captured flow
Conduit Design in the Hydraulics Layer (EXTRAN)
Regulators, inflatable weirs and other RTC elements
Rating Curve boundary conditions
DWF, user defined format hydrographs in Hydraulics layer

24. Design Features of Visual Hydro
Automated pipe layout by minimum grade and depth from survey and geometry data
Default conduit and manhole geometry on layout
Conduit grading and invert adjustment
Automatic calculation of conduit lengths i.e. move the inlet obtain new conduit length and catchment properties
Intelligent database unlike drafting

25. Visual Hydro Produces Reports and Drawings
Current interfaces allow analysis and report generation
Some systems are analyzed to death
Engineers are designers and need to fix the problem
SWMM output file has never stopped a flood
Visual Hydro couples SWMM for analysis with expanded tools for design
Result is a set of plans
The design must be implemented
The design is constructed from plans

26. Benefits of an Integrated System
Pay Item Quantities and Estimates
One software package for all activities
Steep Learning Curve - Microsoft Interface
Conservative design, optimal design - confidence in the modeling
Same system for CAD and Modeling

27. Conclusions
New software tools coupled with SWMM will bring benefits to designers
Some of the future of SWMM lies in its integration with design tools
Designers can move easily from current standards to more sophisticated and credible modeling within Visual Hydro