Draw and Assign Pipes Command

In GeoSTORM, pipes can be defined by either drawing or assigning polylines on the Map View using the following commands:

• Draw Pipes
• Assign Pipes

After adding pipes to a stormwater project, the user can use the Pipe Data command to define additional pipe data. Refer to this article in our knowledge base to learn more about the Pipe Data command.

Draw Pipes Command

Follow the steps below to use the Draw Pipes command:

1. From the Input ribbon menu, click the Stormwater Pipes dropdown menu and select the Draw Pipes command.
   
2. The Draw Pipes dialog box will be displayed.
   

Drawing Pipe Elements

The Draw Pipe Elements section allows the user to draw single or multiple polylines on the Map View as pipes.

Follow the steps below to draw pipes:

1. Click the [Draw] button and the dialog box will temporarily disappear.
   
2. The status bar (shown under the Map View) will prompt the user to draw a pipe polyline on the Map View in the upstream to downstream direction.

   Note: From the Pipe Specifications section of the Pipe Naming panel, if:

   • Pipe ID option is selected, then the user can draw only one pipe polyline on the Map View.
   • Auto-name pipe ID option is selected, then the user can draw multiple pipe polylines on the Map View one after another until completed.
3. After drawing pipe polyline(s), the Draw Pipes dialog box will be redisplayed, and the pipe polyline(s) will be drawn on the Map View.

Notes:

• If the “Insert intermediate manholes at pipe bends” checkbox option is checked, then the software places intermediate manholes at the pipe where it bends. If this checkbox option is unchecked, manholes can only be inserted at the ends of the pipe.
• If the “Discard accidentally digitized pipe less than” checkbox option is checked, then the software discards accidentally digitized pipes that are shorter than the defined length. The user can define the length of the pipe in the entry field next to this checkbox option.
• The [Reverse Direction] button reverses the flow direction of the pipe polyline drawn.

Naming Specifications

This section allows the user to define the naming specifications for each drawn pipe along with the associated manholes.

Pipe Naming

Pipe Specifications

In the Pipe Naming panel, the Pipe Specifications subsection allows the user to specify the pipe ID for each drawn pipe. The user can assign these IDs either manually or automatically using some predefined formats.

Follow the steps below to define naming specifications for pipes:

1. If a pipe was drawn while the Pipe ID radio button option was selected, the user can manually enter the pipe ID in the corresponding field, as shown below.
   
2. Alternatively, the user can enable the Auto-name pipe ID radio button option in order to automatically name every newly drawn pipe as per the user’s predefined naming formats, as shown below.
   

   The different pipe naming formats present in the Auto-name pipe ID radio button option are as follows:

   • Pipe ID prefix: This option allows a prefix to be added to the pipe ID.
   • Pipe ID digits: This option permits the specification of a set number of digits to use for the pipe ID. For example, using 3 digits causes the pipe ID to be of the format 001, 002, 003, and so on as new pipes are created.
   • Next available pipe ID: This option defines the next pipe ID number to be used.
   • Pipe ID increment: This option defines the increment to use when numbering pipes. The default value is 1.
   • Pipe ID suffix: This option allows a suffix to be added to the pipe ID.
   • Pipe ID preview: This read-only field provides a preview of the pipe naming specifications defined above.

Manhole Naming

Auto-Name Manhole ID

In the Manhole Naming panel, the Auto-Name Manhole ID subsection allows the user to specify the IDs for each manhole that are created automatically while drawing pipes. The user can assign these IDs automatically using some predefined formats.

The different manhole naming formats present in the Auto-name manhole ID radio button option are as follows:

1. Manhole ID prefix: This option allows a prefix to be added to the manhole ID.
2. Manhole ID digits: This option permits the specification of a set number of digits to use for the manhole ID. For example, using 3 digits causes the manhole ID to be of the format 001, 002, 003, and so on as new manholes are created.
3. Next available manhole ID: This option defines the next manhole ID number to be used.
4. Manhole ID increment: This entry defines the increment to use when numbering manholes. The default value is 1.
5. Manhole ID suffix: This option allows a suffix to be added to the manhole ID.
6. Manhole ID preview: This read-only field provides a preview of the manhole naming specifications defined above.

Assigning Invert Elevations

This section allows the user to:

• Assign an invert elevation to the pipe using a terrain model.
• Define the invert depth using the Pipe invert depth entry field to raise or lower the invert of the pipe by the specified amount.
• Define the sump depth required at a manhole using the Manhole sump depth entry field.

Note: Define this section before drawing pipes so that the invert elevation and manhole sump depth can be assigned.

Terrain Elevation Source

Depending upon the type of terrain elevation source selected, the content of the Assign Invert Elevations section changes to specify additional elevation data information.

The Terrain elevation source dropdown combo box supports the following surface types:

• Elevation Grid
• LandXML Data
• TIN Surface

Elevation Grid

If the user selects Elevation Grid as the terrain elevation source, the contents of the Assign Invert Elevations section changes, as shown below.

The following option is displayed when Elevation Grid is selected as the terrain elevation source:

• Elevation grid layer
  This dropdown combo box allows the user to select the elevation grid layer available in the project.

LandXML Data

If the user selects LandXML Data as the terrain elevation source, the contents of the Assign Invert Elevations section changes, as shown below.

The following options are displayed when LandXML Data is selected as the terrain elevation source:

• TIN surface layer
  This dropdown combo box allows the user to select the TIN surface layer type.

• TIN surface
  This dropdown combo box allows the user to select the TIN surface type.

TIN Surface

If the user selects TIN Surface as the terrain elevation source, the contents of the Assign Invert Elevations section changes, as shown below.

The following options are displayed when TIN Surface is selected as the terrain elevation source:

• TIN surface layer
  This dropdown combo box allows the user to select the TIN surface layer type.

• TIN surface
  This dropdown combo box allows the user to select the TIN surface type.

Other Specifications

This section allows the user to define the physical properties for the drawn pipes.

The following options are provided in this section:

• Pipe diameter
  This dropdown combo box allows the user to define the internal diameter for the drawn pipe. The user can click on the edit option (i.e., the pencil icon) to edit the pipe diameter. Clicking on the […] browse button displays the Define Standard Pipe Dimensions dialog box that allows the user to define additional pipe diameters. These additional pipe diameters will then be listed in the Pipe diameter dropdown combo box.
  

• Manning’s roughness
  This entry field allows the user to define Manning’s roughness for the drawn pipe. Clicking on the […] browse button displays the Channel and Pipe Manning’s Roughness lookup dialog box, which allows the user to select a Manning’s roughness coefficient to be assigned to a pipe.
  

After defining all the required data, click the [Apply] button to complete drawing pipes.

Note that if pipes are drawn using the Auto-name pipe ID option, then the [Apply] button will be displayed disabled since the just drawn pipes have already been named and created.

Assign Pipes Command

Follow the steps below to use the Assign Pipes command:

1. From the Input ribbon menu, click the Stormwater Pipes dropdown menu and select the Assign Pipes command.
   
2. The Assign Pipes dialog box will be displayed.
   

Selecting Pipe Polylines

The Select Pipe Polylines section allows the user to manually assign single or multiple polylines on the Map View as pipes.

Follow the steps below to assign polylines as pipes:

1. Click the [Pick] button and the dialog box will temporarily disappear.
   
2. The status bar (shown under the Map View) will prompt the user to click near the downstream end of the already drawn pipe polyline on the Map View to select it.

   Note: From the Pipe Specifications section, if:

   • Pipe ID option is selected, then the user can select only one pipe polyline on the Map View.
   • Auto-name pipe ID option is selected, then the user can select multiple pipe polylines on the Map View one after another until completed.
3. After selecting polyline(s), the Assign Pipes dialog box will be redisplayed, and the pipe polyline(s) will be selected on the Map View.
4. Click the [Clear] button to cancel the previous selection and redo the entire process.

Notes:

• If the “Discard accidentally digitized pipe less than” checkbox option is checked, then the software discards accidentally digitized pipes that are shorter than the defined length. The user can define the length of the pipe in the entry field next to this checkbox option.
• The [Reverse Direction] button reverses the flow direction of the pipe polyline assigned.

Pipe Specifications

This section is similar to the Pipe Specifications subsection explained above for the Draw Pipes dialog box.

Assigning Invert Elevations

This section is similar to the Assigning Invert Elevations section explained above for the Draw Pipes dialog box.

Other Specifications

This section is similar to the Other Specifications section explained above for the Draw Pipes dialog box. It contains an additional checkbox option “Create manholes (if missing) at pipe ends.” This checkbox option allows the software to create a manhole at the pipe ends if there is no node already defined within the connection snap distance. The manhole invert elevation is set equal to the pipe invert elevation.

Note that the Create manholes (if missing) at pipe ends entry is checked by default.

After defining all the required data, click the [Apply] button to complete assigning pipes.

Note that if pipes are assigned using the Auto-name pipe ID option, then the [Apply] button will be displayed disabled since the just assigned pipes have already been named and created.