ICEWaRM will be hosting this free webinar where I'll be discussing the software program McBreach and its application to probabilistic dam breach modeling. Come join in! Please note the the webinar start time for your particular time zone. Starts at 10:30 AM local Sydney Australia time on Wednesday, Nov 6th. That is 3:30 PM on Tuesday, Nov 5th if you live on the west coast of the USA. Find your local time. After the webinar, get your free copy of McBreach and the User's Manual here.
Manage risk by leveraging the power of HEC-RAS through Monte Carlo simulations
Introducing McBreach! Faced with aging infrastructure, limited resources, dynamic weather events, and the uncertainty of climate change, today’s dam owners must manage risk to protect the lives of the public and our built environment. The free McBreach program, quantifies uncertainty and informs better decision making before an event.
“McBreach takes dam breach modelling and analysis to the next level. By complimenting the traditional deterministic dam breach methods, McBreach’s probabilistic approach provides a more meaningful and more genuine way to communicate the potential effects from a dam or levee breach.” says Chris Goodell, Principal Consultant for Hydraulics & Hydrology, Kleinschmidt.
Now this is the kind of post that gets you on The RAS Solution! Cutting edge creative solutions to complex problems. This is great stuff. Thanks Michael for all the effort you put in to this.
In today’s post we’ll cover two methodologies that leverage HEC
RAS results to create impressionable and multi-dimensional flood
visualizations. If these methodologies are implemented industry-wide, it is
likely that the public will become more engaged with our work and our clients
wowed. Products of the two methods are shown below.
Figure 1: 3DV-Flo Output of Muncie, Indiana
(left) and 3D Printed Flood of Puerto Rico (right)
Introduction
The mitigation of flood risk is traditionally accomplished
through regulation, correct science, and public buy-in. The federal government writes
the regulation, we make the floodplain maps, and homeowners begrudgingly
purchase flood insurance. How can we as engineers change the public’s sentiment
towards our work and how can we further reduce infrastructure damage? One way
we can do this is by transforming HEC RAS results into a format that is
visually stimulating and easily digestible for nearly anyone.
FIRM maps, WSEL/Depth
rasters, and inundation boundaries serve the purpose of communicating
information but do not necessarily communicate flood risk in a simple and
powerful manner. This post is targeted at transforming RAS results into just
that, a simple and powerful resource for capturing the attention of the public.
If flood risk is internalized by communities, we can expect infrastructure loss
to decrease and funding for our line of work to increase. Let’s dive in!
3DV-Flo (3D Visualization of Flooding)
3DV-Flo is a methodology that
takes in RAS results and generates a 3D flood visualization in Google Earth.
Here are a few examples of 3DV-Flo output.
Figure
2: Austin, Texas flooding visualized with 3DV-Flo
Figure
3: Google Street View of 3DV-Flo output
Figure
4: Muncie, Indiana flooding visualized with 3DV-Flo
The following YouTube playlist shows examples of 3DV-Flo output (the first video in the playlist is embedded below). If you would like to explore the
output yourself in Google Earth, the non-regulatory KML’s can be downloaded here.
3DV-Flo allows the
information stored in WSEL and depth rasters to be viewed three-dimensionally
in Google Earth. This output is an improvement upon RAS Mapper generated KML’s
in that the results are no longer clamped to the ground. The 3DV-Flo method
relies on three inputs (an inundation boundary, depth raster, WSEL raster), two
free software (HEC-RAS, Google Earth), and one proprietary software (ESRI ArcGIS*).
The 3DV-Flo toolbox has been tested on ArcMap for Desktop versions 10.3.1 and
10.6.1. Compatibility of this toolbox cannot be
guaranteed with ArcGIS Pro or other Desktop versions. Additionally, there are
two model types within the 3DV-toolbox. The first uses tools from the Advanced
ArcGIS License. The advanced model is slightly faster and provides the
functionality of adding breaklines to your resulting mesh. Breaklines are
helpful for modelling levees, elevated roads, and dams. The second model uses
tools solely from the Basic ArcGIS license, but you must have the 3D Analyst and Spatial Analyst extensions activated as
described in this ESRI post. If
this tool has a red ‘X’ next to it in ArcGIS follow the steps discussed in this
video. Lastly, if you are using the basic version of the 3DV-Flo toolbox it is essential that your inundation boundary shapefile name not contain spaces or special characters. For example, if your shapefile name is Inundation Boundary (Max Value_0).shp, you should modify this to be InundationBoundaryMaxValue,shp before using the toolbox.
Assuming you have a
georeferenced 1D or 2D RAS model and access to ArcGIS, let us proceed with the
tutorial. You can follow
along with the video below or you can scan the detailed written instructions.
*3DV-Flo methods are currently dependent on ESRI ArcGIS. These methods
can surely be recreated in QGIS or in a standalone script given enough time and
ingenuity. Any individual with the time and desire to make this a fully
open-source method can reach out to Michael Link for further guidance.
c.Import best
available terrain if not already there
d.Right-click
results and click ‘Add new results layer’ for the max inundation boundary,
depth raster, and WSEL raster
e.Compute/update
layers
f.Export break
lines as shapefile if applicable
3. Within
ArcGIS
a.Open blank MXD
b.Import model
output (inundation boundary, depth raster, WSEL raster, and breaklines) to MXD
c.Import symbology
shapefile. Adjust symbology to be blue with no border and displayed with a
transparency of 40%
d.Open the 3DV-Flo
toolbox by navigating there in ArcCatalog
e.Open the 3DV-Flo_WSEL tool
i.The 3DV-Flo_Depth
tool is used to reference flood depths to the ground rather than to mean sea
level. This tool can be used when the vertical datums between RAS and Google
Earth differ.
ii.To use this tool right click the KML in Google
Earth, click properties, click altitude, and switch the altitude to be
‘relative to ground’
f.Populate tool
parameters and specify where the Google Earth KMZ is to be saved
g.If breaklines are not applicable, then bring in
the ‘Arbitrary_Breakline’ shapefile from the unzipped folder
h.Run 3DV-Flo tool
4A - Within Google Earth for Desktop
a.Download software
here if not
installed on your machine
b.Open Google Earth
c.Click
File>Import>and then navigate to the KMZ you created in ArcGIS
b.Click three
horizontal lines in the top left of window
c.Click my places
d.Click import KML
file
e.Click open file
f.Navigate to KML
file of interest and import
There are two
known 3DV-Flo ‘bugs’. The first of which deals with poor terrains spatially
restricting results. The second deals with 3DV-Flo output that appears
unrealistically high in Google Earth. The first bug can be fixed by updating
the underlying terrain. The second bug can be fixed by relating 3DV-Flo output
relative to the ground rather than to mean sea level. These bugs and their
respective workarounds are discussed in this video.
The vision for 3DV-Flo in the
future includes 1. widespread adoption of the method by industry, 2. conversion
of the entire US regulatory floodplain into 3DV-Flo format, and 3. the
combination of 3DV-Flo with the National Water Model forecasts to help cities prepare for incoming floods. Advancing
goal #1 is in part achieved through the readership of this post. Advancing goal
#2 is theoretically possible by splitting the NFHL polygon layer nationwide by
all XS’s with regulatory elevations. The resulting polygons could be
transformed into 3DV-Flo output. Lastly, goal #3 has been prototyped in this video and this post. Any assistance to advance these goals is welcomed.
3D Printed Floods
According to the Wohlers Report 2019, the 2020 value of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing
will be $15.8 billion! Can we get a piece of that??? One way that we can
participate in this trend is to overlay RAS results onto 3D printed terrains.
Here is a YouTube playlist link to some examples of just that for a pluvial flooding model of Puerto Rico (the first video in the playlist is embedded below).
The intended
effect of this visualization is to intuitively convey how floods develop and
where they pose the largest threat. 3D printed terrains are often presented at
a large scale due to the coarse nature of the underlying digital elevation
model. This visualization is unlikely to be used as a structure by structure
evaluation of risk. It is more likely to be used in a city hall meeting or in
the classroom. The Austin, Texas Watershed Concepts Group from AECOM was the
first (to my knowledge) to prototype a 3D Printed Flood. Details on their FEMA
funded San Marcos, Texas project can be found here. That same group generated a second 3D printed flood for
Puerto Rico to give locals a high-level understanding of, go figure, watershed
concepts. The projector and mount costed roughly $500. The San Marcos 3D print
costed $1400 and the Puerto Rican model $250. The difference in price was
related to print infill density and size.
If you are
interested in making one of these models you can follow along with the video
tutorial below and/or you can scan the detailed written instructions.
3D Printed Flood Steps:
1. Develop 3D Printed Terrain
a.Check
3D model repository (Thingiverse or Google searching 3D printed terrain of
“Location”) to see if your location already has an STL 3D print file
b.If
there is no pre-existing STL file or you would like to make your own, you have
a few options.
i.Create
STL from the Terrain2STL (Ideal due to time saved and nonideal
due to fixed rectangular shape of STL)
ii.Create
terrain from Touch Terrain (Ideal due to time saved and ability
to specify bounding coordinates)
iii.Create
STL by converting Lidar to greyscale image (process described here) and load
into Blender to convert the greyscale into an STL file (process described here).
1.Edit > Plane Cut
– This function allows you to discard unnecessary pieces of your model and to
break your model down into smaller chunks to be printed by small 3D printers
2.Edit > Transform
– This function allows you to stretch your model solely in the Z direction. For
more hash marks click the up arrow.
3.Analysis >
Units/Dimensions – This function allows you to rescale your model proportionally
in all directions
d.If
you do not have a 3D printer at home or in the office, shop around to see where
you can get the best deal. For prototyping, I found that 3D Hubs was the cheapest and easiest to use.
Their banana reference was amusing and useful for catching extremely large or
small prints. For the final 1.5-foot-long print of Puerto Rico, I used a local
printing service so that I could guarantee the quality and interact with a
human. Here is a list of the top 10 online 3D printing
services in 2019.
2. Develop Movie of Flooding in HEC RAS
a.Download
ShareX or
comparable screen capture software
b.Create
or load a pluvial or fluvial model in HEC RAS
c.Open
RAS Mapper
d.Load
web imagery, terrain, or basemap to be displayed in movie
e.Open
ShareX and create screen capture video of unsteady RAS simulation
3. Project Movie of Flooding onto 3D Printed Terrain
e.Pause
flooding movie at peak flooding and calibrate the movie extent to 3D print
extent by
i.Raising
or lowering the Pixar lamp stand
ii.Adjust
the aspect ratio of video
f.Equipment
setup is detailed further in this video
g.Project
flooding onto terrain with basemap
In Conclusion
As illustrated in this post,
the impact of our RAS modeling can be greatly bolstered with spectacular Google
Earth imagery and mesmerizing 3D prints. By presenting our clients and
communities with these flood visualization resources, our work can be used
outside of the narrow confines of designating whether someone should or should
not buy flood insurance.
Acknowledgements
The inspiration for the 3DV-Flo methodology would not
have been possible without the catalysts listed below.
1.a Scottish
scientist’s Google Earth clamped-to-ground flood simulation
3.a sea-level rise Google
Earth tutorial
from David Sadoff
4.and a Google Earth
flood simulation
from Mariusz Krukay
Much
gratitude goes out to Muhammad Ashraf and Yuxiang Kang for technical guidance
and edits, Alyssa Ruiz for computational fine-tuning, John Wade for wise GIS
counsel, Yacoub Raheem, Clint Kimball, and Justin Baker for patient 2D HEC-RAS
Training, and Chris Wright for overall mentorship. A big thanks goes out to the
U.S. Government for providing industry-standard software and innovations free
of charge to the world through funding of top-notch institutions (Hydraulic
Engineering Center, National Laboratories, Academia, etc.) and openly sharing
findings. Lastly, I'd like to thank Chris Goodell for this platform and for
single-handedly progressing and pushing the hydraulics industry forward over
the past decade. Your clear explanations and innovative posts have been the
cornerstone of my understanding of HEC-RAS.
Michael Link works for AECOM in Austin,
Texas. He received a B.S. in Ecological
Engineering from Oregon State University and an M.S. in Environmental and Water
Resources Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. Michael is an EIT and certified floodplain manager. Outside of work, enjoys combining hydraulics, spatial analysis,
and data science in novel ways.
HEC-RAS Modelers! Don't miss this opportunity for 2D HEC-RAS training in beautiful Boise Idaho. I'll be teaching this class and hope to see you there! There are limited seats for this class so don't delay in signing up.
This will be a three-day course with a mix of lectures and workshop exercises. You will learn how to set up, run, and troubleshoot 2D and combined 1D-2D HEC-RAS models with an emphasis on river restoration projects. Five separate workshops will give you practical experience setting up and running the software.
This
intensive, workshop-oriented, three day seminar will prepare the engineer and
water resource professional to use the HEC-RAS computer program for modeling
two-dimensional (2D) and combined one-dimensional/two-dimensional (1D/2D) unsteady
flow applications. Led by Kleinschmidt Associates, participants will learn how
to approach and construct a 2D model for unsteady flow conditions, and to
effectively view and analyze results.
The
seminar includes lectures on 2D flow theory, RAS Mapper, an introduction to the
new capabilities and features of HEC-RAS, post processing and analysis of
results, and procedures for creating a stable and calibrated 2D model.
Workshops focus on giving students hands on experience with building and
pre-processing the computational mesh, performing offline and inline 2D
projects, and using the built-in feature RAS Mapper to spatially analyze
results. The seminar can also be customized to fit an organization or groups
interest in areas such as dam breach analysis, river restoration, or
rain-on-grid.
HEC-RAS
incorporates various aspects of 2D hydraulic modeling, including floodplain
hydraulics, dam and levee breaches, rain-on-grid applications, and the
interaction between 1D and 2D systems. Version 5.0.7 of HEC-RAS includes
features in 2D open channel hydraulic analysis such as:
Two-dimensional flow analysis
using the full St. Venant or diffusion wave equations in 2D.
Ability to perform a
combination of 1D and 2D flow analysis in the same model.
The use of unstructured or
structured computational meshes for the 2D flow areas.
Dam and Levee breaching in 1D
and 2D areas.
Rain-on-grid modeling.
Full pre- and post-processing
of geometry in 1D and 2D.
Seminar Benefits/Learning Outcomes
Use the HEC-RAS (River Analysis
System) computer program to model 2D and combined 1D/2D unsteady flow
hydraulics.
Use RAS Mapper to pre-process
both 1D and 2D geometric elements.
Understand 2D flow theory and
the differences between 1D and 2D modeling.
Gain hands-on HEC-RAS
experience by participating in practical computer workshops.
Understand how to develop a
stable and calibrated 1D/2D flow model.
Know how to post-process and
analyze 1D and 2D results.
Obtain valuable insights in
methods for minimizing computation errors and instabilities for 2D
unsteady hydraulic models.
Learn from real world projects
and applications.
Who Should Attend
Consulting engineers, water resource planners, engineers employed by local,
state, or federal government agencies. Participants should have some experience
in floodplain hydrology and hydraulics, and some experience in HEC-RAS steady
and unsteady flow computer modeling. They should also be able to follow simple
computer instructions.
DAY 1
Introduction to HEC-RAS 1D/2D
Modeling
Building a 1D/2D Model
RAS Mapper
Computer Workshop on Creating a
2D Model
1D/2D Flow Data
DAY 2
Computer Workshop on Channel
and Floodplain Modeling
Fellow HEC-RAS modelers. Today is National Dam Safety Day. Dam Breach modeling is a key component to a well-rounded and robust dam safety program. If you're doing dam breach modeling, you need to check out McBreach. Probabilistic hydraulic modeling is where we're heading with dam breach analysis. Why not get a head start with McBreach. This is free software and works seamlessly with HEC-RAS. https://spark.adobe.com/page/RXu9m2OZJFOuc/
For those of you who will be in the Portland Oregon area on June 27th, I invite you to join me for this special event Kleinschmidt is hosting at the Lucky Lab on Hawthorne. I'll be joined by two dynamic and entertaining presenters: Krey Price of Surface Water Solutions and Sean Welch of BPA. We will be talking about the fun side of hydraulic modeling, demonstrating some wild, creative, and somewhat wacky applications of HEC-RAS.
Agenda:
What's New (and Coming!) with HEC-RAS
Automating HEC-RAS with the HECRASController
How to know when your HEC-RAS model is wrong
Using drones and Structure from Motion to prepare terrain surfaces for your HEC-RAS models.
Crazy and absurd (but fun!) applications of HEC-RAS around the world
2D Modeling of the Ice Age Missoula Floods
You don't want to miss this!
Check out Krey Price's preview video for the HEC-RAS Pub and Grub!
It will be an informal, casual gathering with lots of time for Q&A. Hope to see you there! No RSVP needed. Just show up a little early, get a pint, and grab a chair. We'll start at 5:30 sharp and we have the pub until 8:30.
Space may be limited, so make sure you get there on time!
Introducing McBreach! Faced with aging infrastructure, limited resources, dynamic weather events, and the uncertainty of climate change, today’s dam owners must manage risk to protect the lives of the public and our built environment. The free McBreach program, quantifies uncertainty and informs better decision making before an event.
