RASPLOT

Flood Insurance Study Profile Plot Program

User's Guide

 

 

RASPLOT Cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DHS Seal                                               

Federal Emergency Management Agency

                              March 2005
                              Version
2.5

 

Summary of Changes for RASPLOT User's Guide

 

 

The summary of changes below details changes that have been made to RASPLOT User's Guide subsequent to the initial publication in December 1999.

 

 

Date

Affected Sections /Subsections

Summary of Changes

March 2005

1.2

Additional Windows operation systems

March 2005

1.3

To install RASPLOT from Internet

March 2005

1.3

To create RASPLOT icon

March 2005

1.5

HEC-RAS program setup

March 2005

1.6, 1.6.2

RASPLOT User Table

March 2005

1.6.1

Create a HEC-RAS User Tables menu

March 2005

1.6.2

Table Cross Section Order

March 2005

1.7

HEC-RAS Report File for RASPLOT

March 2005

2.2

How to create a Working Table for HEC-RAS

March 2005

2.3

Supercritical HEC-2 files

March 2005

2.5

Explanation about the profile generated by RASPLOT

March 2005

2.5

Drawdown

March 2005

3.1

Figure for RASPLOT menus and buttons

March 2005

3.2

Additional options in River/Reach Connection Box

March 2005

3.3

Node Names from HEC-RAS

March 2005

3.6

Additional options for Vertical Datum and Legend

March 2005

3.9

Structure and Stream Bed Symbols


1.0 INTRODUCTION                                                                                                                                                      2

1.1 What Is RASPLOT?                                                                                                                                            2

1.2 System Requirements                                                                                                                                  2

1.3 Program Installation                                                                                                                               2

1.4 Uninstalling RASPLOT                                                                                                                                 4

1.5 HEC-RAS Program Setup                                                                                                                              4

1.6 RASPLOT User Table                                                                                                                                       5

1.6.1Create a HEC-RAS User Tables menu                                                                                                             5

1.6.2Create a RASPLOT User Table                                                                                                                         7

1.7 HEC-RAS Report File for RASPLOT                                                                                                         10

1.8 Acknowledgements                                                                                                                                   12

2.0 The Profile Table Database                                                                                                                    13

2.1 What Is Profile Table Database?                                                                                                      13

2.2 How to Create a Working Table for HEC-RAS                                                                            13

2.3 How to Create a Working Table for HEC-2                                                                                  16

2.4 How to Create Working Table for non-HEC-RAS or non-HEC-2 hydraulic models 16

2.5 Working Table                                                                                                                                               17

3.0 Navigating in RASPLOT                                                                                                                               23

3.1 RASPLOT Program Window                                                                                                                   23

3.1.1 File Menu                                                                                                                                                         23

3.1.2 View Menu                                                                                                                                                       23

3.1.3 Edit Menu                                                                                                                                                        24

3.1.4 Help Menu                                                                                                                                                       24

3.1.5 Status Bar                                                                                                                                                        25

3.1.6 RASPLOT Toolbar                                                                                                                                         25

3.2 River/Reach Connection Dialog Box                                                                                             26

3.3 Node Names from HEC-RAS                                                                                                                   31

3.4 Backwater Setup Dialog Box                                                                                                           38

3.4 Select Profile Dialog Box                                                                                                                    38

3.5 Header Information                                                                                                                               39

3.6 Panel Setup Information Dialog Box                                                                                          40

3.7 LandmarkTable                                                                                                                                        41

3.8 HEC-RAS Project Information                                                                                                           42

3.9 Structure and Stream Bed Symbols                                                                                            42

4.0 DXF Editor                                                                                                                                                        45

4.1 What is the DXF editor                                                                                                                         45

4.2 Open an Existing DXF file                                                                                                                     45

4.3 Save changes in DXF format                                                                                                             45

4.4 Print the DXF file                                                                                                                                      45

 


 

1.0 INTRODUCTION

 

After installing the RASPLOT program the user needs to select the version of HEC-RAS program to run with the RASPLOT.  It is explained under HEC-RAS Program Setup section.  HEC-RAS program must have RASPLOT user table under the User Tables menu in Profile Output Table window of HEC-RAS.  How to accomplish this task is explained under RASPLOT User Table section.  A HEC-RAS report file for RASPLOT must be created in order for RASPLOT to extract data in creating Profile Table Database.  It is explained under HEC-RAS Report File for RASPLOT section.  The components of the Profile Table Database are explained in Chapter 2, The Profile Table Database.

 

1.1 What Is RASPLOT?

 

RASPLOT is a computer program that creates a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) profile by automatically extracting data from HEC-RAS or HEC-2 input and output files. In addition, the RASPLOT program can be used to create FIS profiles for any other hydraulic model by entering the necessary data manually.  The final product will be in DXF file format and a CADD program is included as part of this program to edit and print profiles as necessary.

 

1.2 System Requirements

 

In order to run, RASPLOT requires:

·         Windows 98/NT/2000/XP operating systems

·         Microsoft compatible mouse

·         Printer

·         SVGA graphics card and monitor.

 

1.3 Program Installation

 

Please note:  The user must initially uninstall any previous versions or Beta versions of RASPLOT.  For guidance on uninstalling previous versions of RASPLOT, see section 1.4.

 

To install RASPLOT from a CD-ROM:

 

The setup program in the setup.exe file runs from a CD-ROM.  On most systems, the CD‑ROM is drive D. The following steps refer to drive D. If necessary, substitute the appropriate drive letter for D.

 

1.        Insert the CD in the appropriate drive.

 

2.        Select Windows 98/NT/2000/XP Start button, choose Run, designate the CD-ROM, and enter the path name and setup (for example, D:\setup).

 

To stop the setup program, choose Cancel.  If you cancel the setup program after copying has begun, all files copied by the setup program will be removed.

 

3.        RASPLOT displays "C:\Program Files\Rasplot" as the path.  Accept the default destination location by clicking the upper right button, or use the Change Directory button to choose a different location.

 

To install RASPLOT from the Internet:

               

1.        Download the setup.zip file from the FEMA web site at http://www.fema.gov/fhm/frm_soft.shtm to a local directory (e.g., C:\temp) on your computer's hard drive.

 

2.        Extract setup.exe file from the setup.zip file in your local directory.

 

3.        Double click on Setup.exe  and follow the instructions on the screen to install the program.

 

 

When the installation is complete, the following window will be displayed.

 

InstallShield Wizard Completed. Click Finish to exit the wizard.

 

·         Click the Finish button.

 

The RASPLOT program is installed under C:\Program Files\Rasplot, and the following files should be in the RASPLOT folder.  The files can be viewed using Windows Explorer.

 

Windows Explorer

 

To place the RASPLOT icon on the Desktop window:

 

1.        Click the Start button from the Windows Task bar => Programs => RASPLOT.

 

2.        Right click the mouse and select Send to folder => Desktop and left click the mouse.

 

1.4 Uninstalling RASPLOT

 

The following steps should be followed to uninstall any previous version of RASPLOT, or Beta versions of RASPLOT:

 

1.        From the Windows Taskbar, click the Start button => Settings => Control Panel.

 

2.        From the Control Panel, double click Add/Remove Programs.

 

3.        From the list of programs, select RASPLOT.

 

4.        Choose Add/Remove.

 

5.        In the confirmation dialog box, choose Yes.

 

All of the program files that were part of the installation will be removed. Files that were created in the RASPLOT folder after RASPLOT was installed will not be removed.

 

1.5 HEC-RAS Program Setup

 

This section explains how to select the proper version of HEC-RAS to run with the RASPLOT program.  The user is required to locate the HEC-RAS program file (i.e., ras.exe) through the RASPLOT Program.

 

1.        Double click the RASPLOT icon to run RASPLOT.  After the opening window, the following window will be displayed.  This is the main RASPLOT Program window.

 

                RASPLOT Program

 

2.        Click the File menu.

 

3.        From the list of displayed options, click Setup Program.

 

4.        The following dialog box will be displayed.  When the dialog box first opens, the HEC-RAS Program box and Default Data Directory box will be empty.

 

                Program Setup

                               

 

5.        Click the upper Browse button to locate the ras.exe file of the HEC-RAS version to be used.  

 

6.        Click the lower Browse button to select the default directory where the HEC-RAS files will be located.  This step is optional.

 

7.        Click OK.

 

The HEC-2 program was already installed in the C:\Program Files\Rasplot during the installation process.

 

1.6 RASPLOT User Table

 

This section explains how RASPLOT creates the RASPLOT table in the HEC-RAS Program's User Tables menu.  First, check to see whether there already is a User Tables menu on the menu bar of the Profile Output Table window of HEC-RAS.  If there is, skip to the RASPLOT User Table subsection below (subsection 1.6.2).  If not, follow the procedure described below (subsection 1.6.1) to create one.

 

1.6.1 Create a HEC-RAS User Tables menu

 

1.        From the HEC-RAS main window, click Profile Table button (third button from the right in HEC-RAS 3.1.2 version).  The following window will be displayed.

 

                Profile Output Table

 

Note that there is no User Table menu on the menu bar, and Standard Table 1 is displayed as a default. (The name of the Table displayed is shown on the header of the window.)

 

2.        Click Options menu.

 

3.        From the list of displayed options, click Save Table.  The following dialog box will be displayed.

 

                HEC-RAS Save Table Dialog

 

Change the name to Table 1 by deleting (using the delete key) the unnecessary letters from "Standard Table & 1," as shown below.

 

                HEC-RAS Save Table Dialog

 

4.        Click OK.  The following window will be displayed.

 

                Profile Output Table       

 

Note that User Tables menu is displayed on the menu bar, and Table 1 is displayed on the header of the window. Table 1 will be displayed as an option when the User Tables menu is clicked.

 

5.        Close the Profile Output Table window.

 

6.        Close HEC-RAS main window.

 

1.6.2       Create a RASPLOT User Table

 

Follow the procedure described below to create a RASPLOT table in the HEC-RAS Program's User Tables menu.

 

1.        Delete the file with extension ".rep," if there is one, from the directory where the user's HEC-RAS files reside.

 

2.        Run RASPLOT (double click the RASPLOT icon).

 

3.        From RASPLOT Program window, click the Open button.  The following dialog box will be displayed.  (The files displayed will be the ones on the user's computer).

 

                Open File Screen

 

In the Open File window, as a default, HEC-RAS will be the selected mode in the Select a model area.  Locate the folder where the HEC-RAS files reside by browsing through the folders in the right box.  All the HEC-RAS project files (files with extension ".prj") in that folder will be displayed in the left box, as shown below.

 

                Open File Screen

 

4.        Double click the HEC-RAS project file to be studied or select the HEC-RAS project file and click OK.

 

5.        From the RASPLOT Program window, click the Extract button.  The following message box will be displayed.

 

                The Report File is missing... You need to create the report file

 

(As a default, HEC-RAS assigns the project file name as the primary name of all the HEC-RAS files).  Click Yes.

 

The HEC-RAS main window for the version that was selected (see Section 1.5) will be displayed, as shown below, with the selected HEC-RAS project from the previous step.

 

                                HEC-RAS River Analysis System

 

6.        From the HEC-RAS main window, click Profile Table button.  (For HEC-RAS 3.1.2, it is the third button from the right.)  The Profile Output Table window with the Standard Table 1 will be displayed.

 

7.        Click User Tables menu and click RASPLOT.  The RASPLOT table will be displayed, as shown below.

                Profile Output Table - RASPLOT

 

The above procedure explains how RASPLOT creates a RASPLOT user table in the HEC-RAS User Tables menu.   Do not attempt to create a RASPLOT user table through the HEC-RAS program by selecting the variables.  If for any reason, a RASPLOT table no longer exists in the User Tables menu, follow the above procedure to recreate one.

 

Table Cross Section Order

 

The River Stations (RS) in the RASPLOT table must be from upstream to downstream direction.  RASPLOT extracts data not only from the RASPLOT table, which is the output data, but also from HEC-RAS input data: plan data, geometric data, and reach lengths. The order of the RS of the input data in the HEC-RAS report file is always from upstream to downstream order irrespective of the RS order in the output data.  In order for RASPLOT to extract the data properly from both the input and output data the RS order must be from upstream to downstream order for both input and output data.

 

 The order of the RS is controlled by the option Table Cross Section Order under Options menu in the Profile Output Table window.  If HEC-RAS is opened through the RASPLOT program, it will automatically select the RS order as upstream to downstream order.

 

From the Profile Output Table window in HEC-RAS:

·         Click Options menu

·         Select Table Cross Section Order from the displayed options. 

The following dialog box will be displayed.

 

                HEC-RAS, Select method for ordering cross sections

 

·         If the cross section order selected is from Downstream to Upstream order (HEC2 Style), change the selection to Upstream to downstream order.

·         Click OK.

·         Close the Profile Output Table window. 

·         Rerun HEC-RAS. If the plan shown is not the desired one, select a different plan and rerun HEC-RAS.

 

1.7 HEC-RAS Report File for RASPLOT

 

This section explains how to create a report file in HEC-RAS for the RASPLOT program.  The following instructions can be used as the continuation of the previous section, or it can be used independently if the report file is to create from HEC-RAS directly.  If that is the case, the user must make sure that the HEC-RAS User Tables menu has a RASPLOT table and the Table Cross Section Order is from upstream to downstream.

 

1.        From the HEC-RAS main window, click File menu.

 

2.        From the list of displayed options, click Generate Report.  The following window should be displayed. (Except nothing is displayed under Selected Summary Tables box.  How to select RASPLOT will be explained later.)

               

                                Report Generator

               

                The following should be noted about the Report Generator window.

 

·         The Report File box will show "Asterisks for Borders." Do not change this option.

·         Under the Input Data area, the boxes for Plan Data, Geometric Data, and Reach Lengths will be checked.  Other boxes are not checked.

·         Under the Output area, the number of profiles shown under Profiles to Include in Report must be the same as the number of profiles in the Steady Flow Data window.  If you are unsure, click the Profiles... button in the Report Generator window and click the Select All button.  Then click the OK button.

(The user must select all the profiles although not all the profiles are to be plotted.  The user will have a choice which profile(s) to be printed by using the Select Profile(s) option in RASPLOT.  See Section 3.4 Select Profile Dialog box.)

·         No boxes are checked under the Specific Tables (Detailed Output) area.  (If the boxes are not checked as shown in the above figure, reselect the boxes.)

·         Search for RASPLOT in the Available Summary Tables box by scrolling through the pull down arrow.

·         Click RASPLOT to select.  RASPLOT will be displayed in the Selected Summary Tables box.  RASPLOT should be the only table in the Selected Summary Tables box.  If there are other tables in the Selected Summary Tables box, double click on the additional tables to delete them.

 

3.        Click Generate Report button.

 

4.        After the report is generated, click the Close button.

 

5.        Click the Save button (second button from the left) from the HEC-RAS main window.

 

6.        Close the HEC-RAS main window.

 

Proceed to Section 2.2, How to Create a Working  Table for HEC-RAS to create profiles in RASPLOT.

               

1.8 Acknowledgements

 

This program was developed by Dewberry for Federal Emergency Management Agency.

                               


2.0 The Profile Table Database

               

RASPLOT extracts data from HEC-RAS report file, HEC-2 input and output files, and user created database through RASPLOT to create a Working table in RASPLOT displaying the extracted variables.  How to create a Working Table for HEC-RAS, HEC-2, and non-HEC files and the extracted variables are explained in this chapter.

 

2.1 What Is Profile Table Database?

 

The Profile Table Database is an Access Database.  It has four tables: [Working], [Work Header], [Panel], and [Landmark].  This section explains in detail about the table [Working].  See Section3.5 Header Information for table Work Header, see Section 3.6 Panel Setup Information Dialog Box for table Panel, and see Section 3.7 Landmark Table for table Landmark.

 

Please note:  The user should not modify the [Landmark], [Panel], or [Work Header] tables outside of RASPLOT.  In addition, the data inside the table [Working] should not be sorted. To do so, may cause RASPLOT to malfunction.

 

2.2 How to Create a Working Table for HEC-RAS

 

This section explains how to create a working table in RASPLOT for HEC-RAS.

.

1.        Run RASPLOT (double click the RASPLOT icon).

 

2.        From the RASPLOT Program window, click the Open button or click File menu and select Open command.  The following dialog box will be displayed.  (The files displayed will be the ones on the user's computer).

 

                                Open File Screen

 

3.        In the Open File window, as a default, HEC-RAS will be selected as the selected mode in the Select a model area.  Locate the folder where the HEC-RAS files reside by browsing through the folders in the right box.  All the HEC-RAS project files (files with extension ".prj") in that folder will be displayed in the left box, as shown below.

 

Open File Screen

 

4.        Double click the HEC-RAS project file to be studied, or select the HEC-RAS project file and click OK.  The following window will be displayed.

.

RASPLOT Program

 

5.        From the RASPLOT Program window, click the Extract button. 

If the cross-section order in the RASPLOT user-defined table is from downstream to upstream, the following message will be displayed.

 

The cross section order in HEC-RAS output file for User Table, RASPLOT, is from 'Downstream to Upstream order (HEC-2 Style).'Please reselect the cross section order from HEC-RAS, Profile Output Table, Options, Table Cross Section Order, Upstream to Downstream order. and regenerate report file for RASPLOT.

 

·         Click OK.

·         Close the RASPLOT window.

·         Open HEC-RAS, correct the cross-section order (see Table Cross Section Order under Section 1.6.2, RASPLOT User Table), and regenerate the report file (see Section 1.7, HEC-RAS Report File for RASPLOT).

·         Save the HEC-RAS project and close HEC-RAS.

·         Follow the procedure from step 1.

 

6.        If the HEC-RAS project file does not include the Report File for RASPLOT (see Section 1.7), a message box stating that the Report File is missing will be displayed.  Or, if the Report File does not include the RASPLOT user-defined table, a message box stating that the Report File does not have the right RASPLOT user-defined table will be displayed.  In either case, the message box will state that "You need to create the report file."

 

 Report File is missing... You need to create the report file. 

 

·         Click the Yes button in the message box.  The HEC-RAS main window for the version that was selected (see Section 1.5, HEC-RAS Program Setup) will be displayed with the selected HEC-RAS project. 

·         Follow the instructions in Section 1.7 HEC-RAS Report File for RASPLOT to create the report file.

·         After the report file is created, save the HEC-RAS project and close the HEC-RAS main window.

 

7.        Click the Extract button from the RASPLOT Program window.  RASPLOT will create a Working Table, as shown below, if the HEC-RAS file includes a single reach.

 

RASPLOT Program

 

See Section 2.5 for explanation of the Columns River, Reach, River Station, Structure, Length Chnl, Cum Dist, Min Ch El, Low Chord, High Chord, Label Letter, Label Text, Prof 1, Prof 2 ...

See Section 3.0 Navigating in RASPLOT for a detailed explanation of the menus and the buttons.  See Section 3.2 River/Reach Connection Dialog Box for HEC-RAS models with multiple streams and/or reaches.


 

2.3 How to Create a Working Table for HEC-2

 

You will need to open a HEC-2 input file on your computer hard disk or on a network by clicking File Menu and selecting Open command or by clicking Open Button.

 

In the Open File Dialog box, select HEC-2 from the 'Select a Model' box. Then select the Drive where the desired input file is located.  In the folder list, double-click folders until you open the folder that contains the input file you want.  Select the input file and click the "OK" button or double click the input file.

 

If you can't find the HEC-2 input file in the folder list, please see note below.

 

Note:  To open a HEC-2 input file with a different extension than the default for a particular model, click the file type you want, and then double-click the input file name in the folder list. You can also type the extension in the File Type box; for example, type *.HC2 to find HEC-2 input files with the HC2 extension.

 

Once the Input file is selected, RASPLOT will run the HEC-2 program. Click on the "Extract Data" button and a profile table will be created.

 

Supercritical HEC-2 files

For engineered channels a supercritical flow analysis is allowed for the flood insurance studies.  The HEC-2 program recognizes as a supercritical HEC-2 file if 1 is in the 4th field of J1 record.  The starting cross section in the supercritical HEC-2 file is from the most upstream location and the cross sections are arranged in the upstream to downstream direction.  The output information is also in upstream to downstream direction.  For supercritical HEC-2 files, RASPLOT will rearrange internally the results and plot the profile from downstream to upstream direction.

 

2.4 How to Create Working Table for non-HEC-RAS or non-HEC-2 hydraulic models?

 

You will need to open a folder on your computer hard disk or on a network by clicking File Menu and selecting Create Blank Database command.

 

Select the Drive where you want the file to be located.  In the folders list, double click folders until you open the folder you want the file to be located.  Type the primary name of the database file in the "File Name" box and click the "OK" button.  RASPLOT will assign '.mdb' as an extension to the newly created Profile Table.

 

Type number of profiles to be plotted in the pop-up window.

 

Open the table using Microsoft Access, and insert the data into table "Working"

 

Please note:  The user should not modify the Landmark, Panel, or Work Header Tables outside of RASPLOT.  In addition, the data inside the table "Working" should not be sorted. To do so, may cause RASPLOT to not function properly.

 


2.5 Working Table

 

The Working Table includes the columns, river, reach, river station, structure, length chnl, cum dist, min ch el, low chord, high chord, label letter, label text, and profile numbers.

 

River

This is the river name from the HEC-RAS Report File.  For HEC-2  the default is "1".  Any letters or numbers can be entered in this column. 

 

Reach

This is the reach name of the given river from the HEC-RAS Report File.  For HEC-2 the default is "1".  Any letters or numbers can be entered in this column.

 

River Station

This is the River Station from HEC-RAS or the  SECNO from HEC-2 file.  Every entry in this column must be numerical.  Letters must not be entered.

 

Structure

The type of structure, such as bridge, culvert, and inline weir, is shown under this column.

Please use:

BRIDGE-Up or BRIDGE-Dn for Bridges

CULVERT-Up or CULVERT-Dn for Culverts

INLINE-Up or INLINE-Dn for Inline Wiers

LID-Up or LID-Dn for long culverts and for culverts in series

 

HEC-RAS

Bridge

BRIDGE-UP is labeled at the River Station where the bridge upstream internal section is located.

BRIDGE-DN is labeled at the River Station where the bridge downstream internal section is located.

Culvert

CULVERT-UP is labeled at the River Station where the culvert upstream internal section is located.

CULVERT-DN is labeled at the River Station where the culvert downstream internal section is located.

Inline Weir

INLINE-UP is labeled at the River Station for the upstream face of the weir where the inline weir profile data is specified.

INLINE-DN is labeled at the same River Station for the downstream face of the weir.

Multiple   Opening*

If the bridge is within the left and right channel bank stations the word 'Bridge #*-Up' is labeled for the bridge upstream internal section at the River Station where the Multiple Opening is modeled.

If the bridge is within the left and right channel bank stations the word 'Bridge #*-Dn' is labeled for the bridge downstream internal section at the River Station where the Multiple Opening is modeled.

* represents the number assigned to the bridge within the channel bank stations by the HEC-RAS program.


HEC-2

Special Bridge

The word 'Bridge-Up' is labeled at the cross-section immediately upstream (Section 3) of Special Bridge card.  An additional cross section is inserted by the RASPLOT program with the same section number as Section 3 and labeled as 'Bridge-Dn'.

In some situations, inline weirs, dams, and culverts, are modeled as the Special Bridge routine in HEC-2.  To change the type of structure, the name of the structure in the Profile Table should be changed according to the following:

 

·                     For culvert, replace BRIDGE-Up with CULVERT-Up and BRIDGE-Dn with CULVERT-Dn. and also check that low chord elevations of the culvert with the value given for the bridge under low chord column.

 

·                     For Inline weir and Dam, replace BRIDGE-Up with INLINE-Up and BRIDGE-Dn with INLINE-Dn and remove the low chord elevation of the bridge from the low chord column.

Special Culvert

RASPLOT creates two additional cross sections for Special Culvert routine.  One is for the culvert upstream internal section and labeled as 'Culvert-Up' and the other is for the culvert downstream internal section and labeled as 'Culvert-Dn'.  The same section number for Section 3 of the Special Culvert routine is assigned for these sections.

Normal Bridge

The word 'Normal' is labeled for structures that are not modeled as Special Bridge or Special Culvert routines.  The word 'Normal' is labeled at the cross sections with BT or X2 records.

In some situations, inline weirs, dams, culverts, and bridges are modeled as the Normal Bridge routine in HEC-2 To change the type of structure, the name of the structure in the Profile Table should be changed according to the following:

 

·                     For bridge, replace 'Normal' with BRIDGE-Up and BRIDGE-Dn and check the low chord elevations of the bridge with the values given in the low chord column.

 

·                     For culvert, replace 'Normal' with CULVERT-Up and CULVERT-Dn and check the low chord elevations of the culvert with the values given in the low chord column.

 

·                     For Inline weir and Dam, replace 'Normal' with INLINE-Up and INLINE-Dn and remove the low chord elevation from the low chord column.

 

Length Channel (LENGTH CHNL)

This is the length of the channel at the River Station from the downstream cross section.

 

HEC-RAS

Lengthchannel is obtained from the user table RASPLOT except, for the culvert and inline weir.

Culvert

The length of the cross-section at Section 3 is equal to the Upstream Distance from culvert data. The length of the cross-section at Culvert-Up section is equal to the length of the culvert.  The length of the cross-section at Culvert-Dn section is computed by subtracting the summation of Upstream Distance and the culvert length from the channel length at Section 3.  Channel length at Section 3 is obtained from the cross sectional data in the HEC-RAS Report file.

Inline Weir

The length of the cross-section at Section 3 is equal to the Distance from Deck/Roadway data. The length of the cross-section at Inline-Up section is equal to the Width from Deck/Roadway data.  The length of the cross-section at Inline-Dn section is computed by subtracting the summation of Distance and Width from the channel length at Section 3.  Channel length at Section 3 is obtained from the cross sectional data in the HEC-RAS Report file.

 

HEC-2

Length channel is obtained from the SUMMARY Table, column XLCH, except for the Special Culvert routine.

Special Culvert

The length of the cross-section at Culvert-Up section is equal to the length of the culvert and is obtained from the SC record in the input file.  RASPLOT subtracts the culvert length from the channel length at Section 3 and divides by two. This length is assigned as the channel length at Section 3 and the channel length at Culvert-Dn section.  The distances at the culvert cannot be zero or a negative number.

Special Bridge

The channel length at Bridge-Up section is equal to the channel length at Section 3.  RASPLOT assigns a value of zero as channel length at Bridge-Dn section.

 

Cumulative Distance (CUM DIST)

 

Cumulative distance is computed by the RASPLOT program by adding the Length Channel values from a downstream to an upstream direction.

 

Minimum Channel Elevation (MIN CH EL)

 

This is the lowest ground elevation within the channel bank stations.

 

HEC-RAS

Minimum Channel Elevation is obtained from the Min Ch El column from the user table RASPLOT except for the culvert, inline weir, and multiple opening.

Culvert

Minimum Channel Elevation at the Culvert-Up and Culvert-Dn section is equal to the culvert invert elevation, and it is obtained from the culvert data in the HEC-RAS Report file.

Inline Weir

Minimum channel elevation at the Inline-Up section is equal to the minimum channel elevation at Section 3, and minimum channel elevation at the Inline-Dn section is equal to the minimum channel elevation at of the cross-section immediately downstream (Section 2).

Multiple Opening

RASPLOT first determines the type of structure within the channel bank stations.  If it is a bridge, the Minimum Channel Elevation is obtained from the user table RASPLOT.  If it is a culvert, the Minimum Channel Elevation is equal to the culvert invert elevation.  The type of structure is obtained from the Multiple Opening data in the HEC-RAS Report file.

 

HEC-2

Minimum Channel Elevation is obtained from the SUMMARY Table, ELMIN column except for the culvert.

Culvert

Minimum channel elevation at the Culvert-Up section is equal to the ELCHU value from the SC record, and minimum channel elevation at the Culvert-Dn section is equal to the ELCHD value from the SC record.

 

Low Chord

 

For the bridge, this is the elevation of the low chord.  For the culvert, this is the elevation of the crown of the culvert.  For inline weirs and dams, low chord elevation is assumed to be equal to the Minimum Channel Elevation.


HEC-RAS

Bridge

The ground station with the minimum channel elevation between the channel bank stations of the bridge internal section is first determined by the RASPLOT program, then the low chord elevation at this station is determined from the Deck/Roadway data.  Low chord elevation is determined in this manner for both Bridge-Up and Bridge-Dn sections.

Culvert

For a single culvert, the low chord elevation is computed by adding the Rise to the culvert invert elevation.  Low chord elevation is determined in this manner for both culvert-Up and Culvert-Dn sections.

For multiple culverts, RASPLOT selects the culvert with the centerline station nearest to the ground station with minimum channel elevation.  Then low chord elevation is determined in the same manner as the single culvert.

Multiple Opening

RASPLOT first determines the type of structure within the channel bank stations.  If it is a bridge, then the procedure to determine the low chord for the bridge is followed.  If it is a culvert, then the procedure to determine the low chord for the culvert is followed.

 

HEC-2

Special Bridge

The low chord elevation from the X2 record is used.  The same value is used for both Bridge-Up and Bridge-Dn sections.

Special Culvert

The low chord elevation for Culvert-Up section is computed by adding the Rise to the ELCHU value and the low chord elevation for Culvert-Dn section is computed by adding the Rise to the ELCHD value.

Normal Bridge

The ground station with the minimum channel elevation between the channel bank stations of section 3 and 4 of normal bridge routine is first determined by the RASPLOT program. Then the low chord elevation at this station is determined from the BT and X2 data.

 

High Chord

 

For all the structures, the ground station with the minimum channel elevation between the channel bank stations is first determined by the RASPLOT program. For HEC-RAS, the high chord elevation at this station is determined from the Deck/Roadway data.  High chord elevation is determined in this manner for both Upstream and Downstream sections.  For HEC-2, the high chord elevation at this station is determined from the BT or X2 data.

 

The RASPLOT creates the profile along the center line of the stream. The centerline of the stream is assumed to follow the minimum channel elevation between the channel bank stations. The high chord and low chord elevations shown in RASPLOT are at the location where the stream centerline crosses the structures.  The user needs to review the FIRM and\or the model to determine the type of flow at the structure.  The profile should not be used to determine the type of flow.

 

Label Letter

 

This column is used to place letters at various River Stations on the profile.  For a given River Station, type the letter you wish to show.  No more than three letters or numbers can be shown in this column.

 

Label Text

 

This column is used to place a label at any River Station on the profile. For example, corporate limits, road names, confluence of stream, etc., can be placed in this column.


 

Profiles

 

Water-surface elevations of the profiles from HEC-RAS, HEC-2, or user inserted values are shown in these columns.

 

HEC-RAS

Water-surface elevations for the selected profiles are obtained from the RASPLOT user table, except for the culvert and the inline weir.

 

Culvert

The water surface profile through the culvert is selected by the RASPLOT program, depending upon the type of flow:

 

·                     If the type of flow is low flow, the water-surface elevation at the Culvert-Up section is equal to the Culv WS In value from the RASPLOT table, and the water-surface elevation at the Culvert-Dn section is equal to the Culv WS Out value from the RASPLOT table.

 

·                     If the type of flow is pressure flow, the water-surface elevation at the Culvert-Up section is equal to the water-surface elevation at Section 3, and the water-surface elevation at the Culvert-Dn section is equal to the Culv WS Out value from the RASPLOT table.

 

·                     If the type of flow is weir flow, the water-surface elevation at the Culvert-Up section is equal to the water-surface elevation at Section 3.  The water-surface elevation at Culvert-Dn section is obtained by adding the depth of weir flow over the upstream Deck/Roadway profile to the downstream high chord elevation.

Inline Weir

The water-surface elevations at the Inline-Up and the Inline-Dn are equal to the water-surface elevation at Section 3.

 

HEC-2

Water-surface elevations for the selected profiles are obtained from the SUMMARY Table except for the culvert.

Culvert

The water-surface elevation at Section 3 is used at Culvert-Up and Culvert-Dn sections.

Inline Weir

The water-surface elevations at the Inline-Up the Inline-Dn are equal to the water-surface elevation at Section 3.

 

Drawdown

Drawdown is defined as a situation where the upstream water-surface elevation (WSEL) is lower than the downstream WSEL.  For flood insurance studies drawdowns should be eliminated from the profiles.  RASPLOT will eliminate the drawdown by drawing a horizontal line from the downstream WSEL until it intersects with the original profile, thus removing the upstream WSEL that is lower than the downstream WSEL.

 


3.0 Navigating in RASPLOT

               

This chapter explains the Menu Bar and Tool Bar in the RASPLOT program, how to select river and reaches from a stream network with multiple rivers and reaches, how node names from HEC-RAS are displayed, how to assign backwater elevations, how to select profiles if the Working table has multiple profiles and only some profiles are to be plotted, what data should be entered in the Header Information, how to tailor the panel information, how to insert horizontal or vertical notes, what HEC-RAS project information is stored, and how the structure and stream bed symbols are displayed.

 

3.1 RASPLOT Program Window

 

This window has the Menu Bar and the Tool Bar as shown in the following figure.

 

RASPLOT Program

 

3.1.1 File Menu

The File menu includes the following commands:

 

Open

This command opens the 'Open File' dialog box to select HEC-RAS or HEC-2 files or to open an existing Profile Table Database.

Extract Data

This command extracts data of the currently selected HEC-RAS project file or HEC-2 input file.

Print Data

This command prints the RASPLOT profile table.

Save Database

This command saves the open profile database file.

Save DXF File

This command creates a DXF file.

DXF Editor

This command opens the DXF editor program.

Setup Program

This command opens a dialog box that allows the user to locate ras.exe, hec2.exe files, and set-up a default directory.

Create Blank Database

This command creates a user defined database to be used for non-HEC-RAS or non-HEC-2 hydraulic models.

Exit

This command exits RASPLOT.

 

3.1.2 View Menu

The View menu includes the following commands:

 

HECRAS Project Info

This command displays the following information about the HECRAS project file: 

·            Title of the Project file and its original path

·            Title of the Plan file and its original path

·            Title of the Geometry file and its original path

·            Title of the Flow file and its original path

·            Project description

Zoom In

This command allows you to draw a window around an area you wish to view at a closer scale.

Zoom Out

This command allows you to reduce the picture size by 10%.

Full Extent

This command allows you to restore the profile to its original size.

 

3.1