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Graphically Editing Roadway Geometry

In GeoHECRAS, the graphical editing area of the Bridge & Culvert Data dialog box allows the user to graphically modify roadway geometry. The user can interactively modify the bridge deck, sloping abutments, and bridge piers and view the changes in real-time on the graphical plot. This improves productivity by providing options to easily build and edit HEC-RAS models. The user can build more accurate HEC-RAS models and easily perform a comparison between different engineering models such as existing and proposed bridges.

To graphically edit the roadway crossing geometry, follow these steps:

  1. From the Input ribbon menu, select the Bridge & Culvert Data command.
    Bridge-Culvert-Data-Command-Image
  2. The Bridge & Culvert Data dialog box will be displayed. Alternatively, the user can double-click on the roadway crossing on the Map View to display this dialog box.
    Bridge-Culvert-Data-Dialog-Box
  3. The Roadway Crossing Plot section in the above dialog box displays the elevation versus horizontal station plot for upstream and downstream roadway cross sections. The vertical toolbar on the left contains several tools to graphically modify the roadway geometry.

The following sections describe how to edit the roadway crossing geometry using various tools in the Roadway Crossing Plot section.

Tools for Editing Roadway Geometry

The vertical toolbar on the left of the Roadway Crossing Plot section contains tools to graphically edit the roadway crossing.

ToolDescription
Add Bridge Pier HEC RASAdd Bridge Pier Tool

This tool allows the user to add bridge piers on the graphical plot.
To use the Add Bridge Pier tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Add Bridge Pier tool from the toolbar.
  2. Click on the roadway crossing graph at the desired location where you want to add a bridge pier.
  3. The software will add a bridge pier at the selected location.
  4. Add Bridge Pier
Add High Chord Geometry PointAdd High Chord Geometry Points Tool
This tool allows the user to add a high chord point to the roadway crossing geometry. After selecting the Add High Chord Geometry Points tool from the toolbar, the user can click on the desired location on the roadway crossing plot to add a high chord geometry point.
Add Ineffective Flow AreasAdd Ineffective Flow Areas Tool

This tool allows the user to add ineffective flow areas — the area that contains water but has no conveyance (the velocity is assumed to be zero).
To use the Add Ineffective Flow Areas tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Add Ineffective Flow Areas tool.
  2. The Ineffective Flow Areas data panel will be automatically displayed in the left pane of the Bridge & Culvert Data dialog box.
  3. Ineffective Flow Areas HEC-RAS
  4. From the Ineffective Flow Areas data panel, select one of the following options:
    • Normal Ineffective Flow Areas: This option allows the user to draw “Normal” ineffective flow areas — Just one left and one right ineffective flow area in the overbanks.
    • Multiple Blocks Ineffective Flow Areas: This option allows the user to add multiple blocks of ineffective flow areas at the roadway crossing.
  5. After the desired option is selected, click and drag the mouse button to add ineffective flow area(s) on the roadway crossing plot.
  6. Roadway Crossling Plot HEC RAS
Add Internal Geometry Points HEC RASAdd Internal Geometry Points Tool
This tool allows the user to add bridge internal geometry points on the graphical plot. After selecting the Add Internal Geometry Points tool, the user can click at the desired location on the roadway crossing plot to add a bridge internal geometry point.
Add Low Chrord Geometry PointsAdd Low Chord Geometry Points Tool
This tool allows the user to add a low chord point to the roadway crossing geometry. After selecting the Add Low Chord Geometry Points tool from the toolbar, the user can click on the roadway crossing plot at the desired location to add a low chord geometry point.
Draw High Chord HEC RASDraw High Chord Tool

This tool allows the user to draw the high chord of roadway crossing.
To use the Draw High Chord tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Draw High Chord tool.
  2. Draw the high chord geometry point-after-point on the roadway crossing plot.
  3. Once finished, press the [Enter] key or right-click and select Done from the displayed context menu.
  4. Draw High Chord Tool
Draw Low Chord HEC RASDraw Low Chord Tool

This tool allows the user to draw the low chord of the roadway crossing.
To use the Draw Low Chord tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Draw Low Chord tool from the toolbar.
  2. Draw the low chord geometry point-after-point on the roadway crossing plot.
  3. Once finished, press the [Enter] key or right-click and select Done from the displayed context menu.
  4. Draw Low Chord Tool

Draw Sloping Abutment HEC RASDraw Sloping Abutment Tool

This tool allows the user to draw bridge sloping abutments on the graphical plot.
To use the Draw Sloping Abutment tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Draw Sloping Abutment tool.
  2. Draw the left or right exterior boundary of sloping abutment point-after-point on the roadway crossing plot.
  3. Once finished, press the [Enter] key or right-click and select Done from the displayed context menu.
  4. Draw Sloping Abutment Tool
  5. The software will automatically build a left or right sloping abutment that starts in the upper left or right corners of the bridge opening.
Measure Slope Distance HEC RASMeasure Distance & Slope Tool

This tool allows the user to measure the distance and slope between two points.
To use the Measure Distance & Slope tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Measure Distance & Slope tool.
  2. Draw a line between two points on the graphical plot. Then press the [Enter] key or right-click and select Done from the displayed context menu.
  3. Measure Slope Distance Tool
  4. The Measure Distance & Slope dialog box will be displayed showing the distance and slope between the two points.
  5. Measure Slope Distance Software
Pan Tool HEC RASPan Tool
This tool allows the user to pan around the graph. After selecting this tool, the user can click and drag the graphical plot to display the desired extent. Alternatively, the user can hold the mouse scroll button to perform the same action.
Redo in HEC RASRedo Tool
Selecting this tool causes the software to restore any actions that were previously undone using the Undo tool.
Remove Internal Geometry HEC RASRemove Internal Geometry Points Tool

This tool allows the user to remove bridge internal geometry points from the graphical plot.
To use the Remove Internal Geometry Points tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Remove Internal Geometry Points tool.
  2. Click on the desired geometry points on the roadway crossing graph to remove them.
  3. To remove multiple points at once, click and drag the mouse button to draw a rectangular region that covers all the internal geometry points that are to be removed.
  4. Remove Bridge Internal Geometry
  5. The software will remove all the internal geometry points that lie within the rectangular region.
Remove Roadway Geometry HEC RASRemove Roadway Geometry Points Tool

This tool allows the user to remove multiple roadway geometry points.
To use the Remove Roadway Geometry Points tool, follow these steps:

  1. Select the Remove Roadway Geometry Points tool from the toolbar.
  2. Click on the roadway geometry points to remove them from the graphical plot one at a time.
  3. To remove multiple points at once, click and drag the mouse button to draw a rectangular region that covers all the points that are to be removed.
  4. Remove Roadway Geometry Tool
  5. The software will remove all the roadway geometry points that lie within the rectangular region.
Select Image HEC RASSelect Tool
This tool allows the user to select any roadway geometry point and accordingly move it to modify the roadway crossing geometry.
Note that if no low chord geometry is defined, then the high chord geometry can be moved vertically and horizontally. However, if both high and low chord points are defined, such as at a bridge opening, the high and low chord points can only be moved vertically.
Edit Roadway Crossing HEC RASStart graphical editing of roadway crossing Tool
This tool allows the user to modify the roadway and bridge internal geometry. After clicking this tool, the user can use the Select tool to reposition any roadway and bridge internal geometry points as desired.
Undo in HEC RASUndo Tool
Selecting this tool causes the software to remove the last change, reverting the roadway crossing plot to a previous state.
Zoom Extents ToolZoom Extents Tool
Selecting this tool causes the software to zoom to the extent of the roadway crossing geometry plot.
Zoom Previous ToolZoom Previous Tool
Selecting this tool causes the software to zoom to the previous extent.
Zoom in HEC RASZoom Tool
The tool allows the user to zoom in and out on the graphical plot. After selecting this tool, the user can select a rectangular region on the graphical plot to zoom in. The mouse scroll wheel can be used to zoom in and zoom out.

 

About the Author Chris Maeder

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