WMS:HEC-RAS Bridges/Culverts

Users can either add bridges directly to a HEC-RAS model or setup a bridge as a cross section in WMS. In either case, when defining a bridge or a culvert, it is recommended that users add 2 cross sections upstream of the bridge or culvert and 2 cross sections downstream in WMS. Users can also define a 5th cross section in WMS that represents a bridge itself or culvert itself, and it's a good idea to do this. Users can either put this bridge/culvert cross section in WMS as a cross section or just define it in HEC-RAS.

When creating a cross section in WMS that represents a bridge or a culvert, it does not matter where the cross section is placed as long as it is somewhere between the two upstream and two downstream cross sections defined for the bridge or culvert. After creating the cross section representing the bridge or culvert, select the option in the cross section attributes dialog that makes it a bridge/culvert.

The floodplain delineation will work whether entering the culverts or bridges in HEC-RAS or as cross sections in WMS, but users must define 2 upstream and 2 downstream cross sections in WMS for WMS to read the water surface elevations at these locations from HEC-RAS.

Users will have trouble reading the water surface elevations back into WMS if having added a cross section in HEC-RAS that is not in the WMS model.

Related Topics

• 1D Hydraulic Modeling
• Managing Cross Sections
• Extracting Cross Sections
• HEC-RAS Overview
• Recompute All Stations