Pipes are conduits in stormwater drainage systems, designed to transport captured runoff from one node to another. Pipes play a vital role in urban drainage by efficiently managing stormwater runoff and preventing flooding. Pipes connect various drainage system elements, such as manholes, catch basins, and outlets. Pipes can be constructed from materials like concrete, cast iron, and PVC.
In GeoSTORM software, pipes can be drawn or assigned using Draw Pipes and Assign Pipes commands. Refer to this article in our knowledge base to learn how to incorporate pipes into a stormwater project.
After adding pipes to a stormwater project, the Pipe Data command can be used to define additional data and view the corresponding output results associated with the pipes.
Follow the steps below to use the Pipe Data command:
- From the Input ribbon menu, click the Stormwater Pipes dropdown menu and select the Pipe Data command.
- The Pipe Data dialog box will be displayed, as shown below.
The following sections describe how to use the Pipe Data command and interact with the above dialog box.
Selecting Pipe
The Select Pipe section allows the user to select the pipe for which pipe data will be defined. In this section, the user can create, delete, and copy existing pipe data to a new pipe. In addition , the user can navigate between pipes and enter a description for each pipe.
The following options are provided in this section:
- Pipe ID
This dropdown combo box lists all the pipes defined in the current scenario. Click on the edit option (i.e., the pencil icon) to edit the pipe ID. The user can navigate between the previous and next pipe using the Up and Down arrow buttons. Alternatively, the user can click the […] button to select the pipe from the Map View.
Note that the Up and Down arrow buttons will be disabled (i.e., grayed out) if the current scenario contains a single pipe. - Description
This optional field allows the user to enter additional information that describes the selected pipe. - New
The [New] button allows the user to create a new pipe on the Map View. The ID of every newly created pipe must be unique. - Copy
The [Copy] button allows the user to copy an existing pipe along with its associated data to a new pipe. The software automatically provides a unique ID to the copied pipe. - Delete
The [Delete] button allows the user to delete the selected pipe from the current scenario. - Less/More
The [< Less] and [More >] buttons at the Select Pipe section header allows the user to expand or collapse the Computed Results section.
Pipe Specifications
Pipe Definition
This section allows the user to define general parameters for the selected pipe.
The following options are provided in this section:
- Shape
This dropdown combo box lists all the pipe shapes that the software supports. By default, a Circular pipe shape is selected.
Clicking on the […] button displays the Select Pipe Shape dialog box, which allows the user to select any non-circular pipe shape that the software supports.
- Backflow flap gate
This checkbox option specifies whether a flap gate will be enabled to prevent backflow (or flow reversal) for the pipe. By default, this checkbox option is unchecked. - Number parallel pipes
This spin control entry field specifies the number of identical parallel pipes to be defined. By default, the software uses a value of 1. However, the user can enter a different value ranging from 1 to 100. - Diameter
This dropdown combo box defines the internal diameter for the selected pipe. The user can click on the edit option (i.e., the pencil icon) to edit the pipe diameter. Clicking on the […] 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. Note that this dropdown combo box is available only for the Circular pipe shape.
- Width
This entry field defines the width of the pipe. The following table shows when this field is enabled or disabled based on the shape of the pipe:
Pipe Shape Width Arch Enabled Basket Handle Disabled Basket Handel, Modified Enabled Catenary Disabled Circular Disabled Egg Disabled Ellipse, Horizontal Enabled Ellipse, Semi Disabled Ellipse, Vertical Enabled Gothic Disabled Horseshoe Disabled Rectangular Enabled Rectangular & Circular Enabled Rectangular & Triangular Enabled Semi-Circular Disabled - Size code
This read-only entry field displays the specific code for each pipe dimension selected in the dropdown combo box next to this field. Note that the dropdown combo box is available only for the Arch, Ellipse Horizontal, or Ellipse Vertical pipe shape.
- Length
This entry field defines the length of the pipe being modeled. The user can click the [Pick] button to measure the pipe length from the Map View. Clicking on the [Recalc] button allows the software to recalculate the digitized length of the current pipe. Similarly, clicking on the [Recalc All] button allows the software to recalculate the digitized length of all pipes in the network. - Inlet invert elevation
This entry field defines the pipe invert elevations on the upstream end. Clicking on the [Up] arrow button causes the pipe invert elevation to be set so that the crown (top) of the pipe matches the crown of the largest diameter pipe that already connects to the same node. Clicking on the [Down] arrow button causes the pipe invert elevation to be set equal to the connecting node invert elevation. - Outlet invert elevation
This entry field defines the pipe invert elevation on the downstream end. Clicking on the [Up] arrow button causes the pipe invert elevation to be set so that the crown (top) of the pipe matches the crown of the largest diameter pipe that already connects to the same node. Clicking on the [Down] arrow button causes the pipe invert elevation to be set equal to the connecting node invert elevation. - From (Inlet node)
This read-only field defines the node ID on the inlet end of the pipe. The user can click the […] button to select the inlet node from the Map View. Clicking on the [Swap] button allows the user to switch the inlet and outlet nodes, effectively reversing the direction of the pipe. - To (Outlet node)
This read-only field defines the node ID on the outlet end of the pipe. The user can click the […] button to select the outlet node from the Map View. - Pipe slope (H:V)
This entry field displays the slope of the pipe. In addition, this field can be used to set the slope of the pipe. The user can click on the edit option (i.e., the pencil icon) adjacent to the Pipe slope (H:V) field to change the read-only field into an editable field. The user can then enter the pipe slope and click on the [Accept changes] button. The software will then adjust the unlocked pipe end invert elevation to meet the updated slope value.![[Accept changes] button](https://knowledge.civilgeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Pipe-Data-Command-Image-10.png)
Note: To set the slope of the pipe, the user should first select the end of the pipe invert elevation that is to be locked. The following options are provided in the dropdown combo box adjacent to the Pipe slope (H:V) entry field:- Lock Downstream Invert
- Lock Upstream Invert
Note that based upon the selected shape of the pipe, the following additional options will be available in the Pipe Definition section:
- Height
This entry field defines the height of the pipe. Note that this entry field is available only for the non-circular pipe shape.
- Triangle depth
This entry field defines the depth of the triangular pipe, which is the vertical distance from the base to the topmost point (apex). Note that this entry field is available only for the Rectangular & Triangular pipe shape.
- Top radius
This entry field defines the radius of the pipe, which is the distance from the center of the top curve to the outer edge of the pipe. Note that this entry field is available only for the Basket Handle, Modified pipe shape.
- Bottom radius
This entry field defines the radius of the pipe, which is the distance from the center of the bottom curve to the outer edge of the pipe. Note that this entry field is available only for the Rectangular & Circular pipe shape.
Pipe Coefficients
This section allows the user to define Manning’s roughness, entrance loss, exit loss, and other head losses coefficients for the selected pipe.
The following options are provided in this section:
- Manning’s roughness
This entry field defines the roughness of the pipe. Clicking on the […] button displays the Channel and Pipe Manning’s Roughness lookup dialog box, which allows the user to choose Manning’s roughness coefficient to be assigned to a pipe.
- Entrance loss coefficient
This entry field defines the head loss coefficient associated with energy losses at the inlet of the pipe as the flow enters the pipe from a node (i.e., manhole, junction box, routing junction, catch basin, or storage area). Clicking on the […] button displays the Entrance Loss Coefficients For Pipes lookup dialog box, which allows the user to choose the entrance loss coefficient to be assigned to a pipe.
- Exit/bend loss coefficient
This entry field is used to define the head loss coefficient associated with energy losses at the outlet of the pipe as the flow leaves the pipe and enters a node (i.e., manhole, junction box, routing junction, catch basin, or storage area). Clicking on the […] button displays the Exit Loss Coefficients For Pipes lookup dialog box, which allows the user to choose the exit loss coefficient to be assigned to a pipe.
- Other head losses coeff
This entry field defines the head loss coefficient associated with energy losses along the length of the pipe.
Computational Results
After successfully computing the analysis, this section provides a summary of the stormwater computational results for the selected pipe.
The following results are provided in this section:
- Peak flow rate
This read-only field displays the peak flow rate in the pipe during the storm event. - Maximum flow velocity
This read-only field displays the maximum flow velocity in the pipe during the storm event. - Design flow capacity
This read-only field displays the flow rate capacity of the pipe for gravity flow conditions (i.e., non-pressurized). - Additional flow capacity
This read-only field displays the difference between the Peak flow rate and the Design flow capacity values. - Max/design flow ratio
This read-only field displays the ratio of the Peak flow rate to the Design flow capacity values. - Max/total depth ratio
This read-only field displays the ratio of pipe flow depth to pipe diameter. - Total time surcharged
This read-only field displays the duration (in minutes) during hydrodynamic routing when the pipe’s Max/Total Depth Ratio was ≥ 100%. - Maximum pipe cover
This read-only field displays the computed maximum ground cover measured from the top of the pipe (crown) along the pipe length. - Minimum pipe cover
This read-only field displays the computed minimum ground cover measured from the top of the pipe (crown) along the pipe length.