Review on HEC-RAS 4.

1 HEC-RAS is engineering software that enables hydraulic modeling of water flow into one dimensional hydraulic calculation. It can be applied to both natural and manmade channels. It was developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, with the first release being in 1995. The latest version, HEC-RAS 4.1 was released in January 2010. The software is an integrated system of GUIs (graphical user interface) and hydraulic analysis components. It enables data storage and management capabilities of existing structures, graphics and reporting facilities. Modeling hydraulics of water flow is difficult because there are many factors that affect flow in the natural environment that cannot be programmed into software. However, the Quasi-unsteady flow assumptions enable the program to inform planning decisions and evaluate and project alternatives. HEC-RAS can be used to evaluate and manage the following categories of water hydraulics: Steady flow water surface profile computations Unsteady flow simulation Movable boundary sediment transport computations Water quality analysis

This report focuses on the sediment transport computations of the HEC-RAS 4.1 Sediment Transport is the movement of soil particles along water channels under the influence of gravity and the force exerted by the fluid in which the sediment is entrained. Sediments can be of various types and various sizes. HEC-RAS only considers water flow parameters and bed sediment properties in its sediment transport analysis. The following list details the specific parameters. Transport functions: Sediment transport calculations vary depending on the functions and formulas used to obtain the results. HEC-RAS using many functions that include Akers and White (1973), England and Hansen (1967), Toffaleti (1968), Meyer Peter Muller (1948). Fall Velocity: this is the velocity at which a particle would sink when suspended in a fluid. Fall velocity can be computed using three methods: Tofalletti (1968), Van Rijin (1993) and Rubey (1933). Sorting functions: these are used to compute active layer thickness and vertical tracking assumptions and the two methods of doing this are Exner 5 and Active Layer Sediment gradation function helps compute data for each particular grain size. This computation is done assuming a particular grain size made up all of the bed sediment in a particular cross section. Hydraulic Parameters such as the type of flow (steady/unsteady) within the three sub-sections of the river (left overbank, main channel, and right overbank) are used to determine the effect of the flowing water on the sediment particles.

Advantages: HEC-RAS version 4.1 has improved greatly especially with its ability to support unsteady flow water surface profile calculations hence tackling the Sediment transport modeling difficulties. HECRASs options of viewing results and output are easy to read and interpret. The rating curves and profile plots display data in a neat and organized format. Another positive is it works well in collaboration with drawing software e.g. AutoCAD, ArcView etc. Limitations: Its computation does not factor in the source of the sediment (in flow from catchment, erosion) or deposition. Not user friendly for inexperienced users.

Number of words: 496 words