Research (free) tools

HEC-RAS River Analysis System

Offered by: Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC), US Army Corps of Engineers
'

Research tool description

HEC-RAS is designed to perform one-dimensional hydraulic calculations for a full network of natural and constructed channels. The following is a description of the major capabilities of HEC-RAS.

User Interface

The user interacts with HEC-RAS through a graphical user interface (GUI). The main focus in the design of the interface was to make it easy to use the software, while still maintaining a high level of efficiency for the user. The interface provides for the following functions:
• File Management
• Data Entry and Editing
• Hydraulic Analyses
• Tabulation and Graphical Displays of Input and Output Data
• Reporting Facilities
• Context Sensitive Help

Hydraulic Analysis Components

The HEC-RAS system contains four one-dimensional river analysis components for: (1) steady flow water surface profile computations; (2) unsteady flow simulation; (3) movable boundary sediment transport computations; and (4) water quality analysis. A key element is that all four components use a common geometric data representation and common geometric and hydraulic computation routines. In addition to the four river analysis components, the system contains several hydraulic design features that can be invoked once the basic water surface profiles are computed.

Steady Flow Water Surface Profiles

This component of the modeling system is intended for calculating water surface profiles for steady gradually varied flow. The system can handle a full network of channels, a dendritic system, or a single river reach. The steady flow component is capable of modeling subcritical, supercritical, and mixed flow regimes water surface profiles.

Unsteady Flow Simulation

This component of the HEC-RAS modeling system is capable of simulating one-dimensional unsteady flow through a full network of open channels. The unsteady flow equation solver was adapted from Dr. Robert L. Barkau’s UNET model (Barkau, 1992 and HEC, 1997). The unsteady flow component was developed primarily for subcritical flow regime calculations. However, with the release of Version 3.1, the model can now performed mixed flow regime (subcritical, supercritical, hydraulic jumps, and draw downs) calculations in the unsteady flow computations module.


The program is free of cost.

Find here the program manuals, application guide and user manual

Source of text, figures and links: Hydrologic Engineering Center website

More information (external link to the tool)

Your feedback View feedbacks