How is GeoHECRAS different than Civil 3D River and Flood Analysis?
How does GeoHECRAS stack up against Autodesk’s AutoCAD Civil 3D River and Flood Analysis? We occasionally get asked by clients that are heavily invested in AutoCAD Civil 3D what sets GeoHECRAS apart from what already ships with Civil 3D.
For the most part, Civil 3D’s application is a basic program for cutting cross sections and assigning some HEC‑RAS elements. However, if you use HEC‑RAS on a regular basis and want to really leverage Civil 3D capabilities with HEC‑RAS, GeoHECRAS integrates tightly with Civil 3D and provides much more functionality, power, and time savings.
Here are some of the items that you might consider when comparing GeoHECRAS and Civil 3D’s River and Flood Analysis.
Functionality | GeoHECRAS | Civil 3D River and Flood Analysis |
---|---|---|
Unlimited Undo / Redo | Yes | No |
Purpose-Build HEC-RAS Tools | Yes | No |
What-If Scenario Manager Analysis | Yes | No |
Multiple Plan & Geometry Files | Yes | No |
Building XS from Multiple Data Sources | Yes | No |
HEC-RAS Multi Version Support | Yes | No |
HEC-RAS Version 5.0 & 6.0 Support | Yes | No |
HEC-RAS 2D Flow Area Modeling | Yes | No |
2D Flow Modeling | Yes | No |
Storage Areas | Yes | No |
Storage Area Connections | Yes | No |
Lateral Structures | Yes | No |
Cross Section Lids | Yes | No |
Unsteady Flow Modeling | Yes | No |
Modified Puls Routing | Yes | No |
Dam Failure Modeling | Yes | No |
Split Flow Modeling | Yes | No |
Built-In Elevation Data Sources | Yes | No |
FEMA Flood Map Support | Yes | No |
Automated Bridge Design | Yes | No |
River Channel & XS Interpolation | Yes | No |
Steady Flow Calibration | Yes | No |
Export HEC-RAS to Google Earth | Yes | No |
Integrated Cloud-Based Mapping Services | Yes | No |
Google Maps Integration | Yes | No |
USGS StreamStats Support | Yes | No |
Watershed Delineation | Yes | No |
Expert Technical Support | Yes | No |
Free Onboard Training | Yes | No |
Another major consideration is that GeoHECRAS acts as a data wrapper to the US Army Corps of Engineers HEC‑RAS software. GeoHECRAS does not modify HEC‑RAS in any way, but facilitates entering data into HEC‑RAS by running the software in a “client-server” mode and directly interfacing with HEC‑RAS. So, as you enter the data into GeoHECRAS, the same data is stored in HEC‑RAS.
In summary, GeoHECRAS tightly integrates with Civil 3D and further extends Civil 3D capabilities. We continue to develop the product, adding additional functionality and capabilities. GeoHECRAS includes customized onboard training and toll-free technical support at no cost. In addition, special incentives are available to new customers to provide a migration path to GeoHECRAS.
GeoHECRAS Comparison
The best way for you to do an effective comparison between GeoHECRAS and AutoCAD Civil 3D River and Flood Analysis is to experience GeoHECRAS for yourself. We can point out all of the fantastic functionality that
GeoHECRAS provides over other software, but ultimately you need to make that decision—both from a cost perspective, get-up-to-speed perspective, and a technical support perspective.