HEC-RAS Ver 4 - has anybody tried it? 1

[cvg]

HEC-RAS Ver 4.0 (beta)has been released by the USACE (see excerpt below). Has anybody tested it? Did it perform as advertised? Any bugs yet?

"This version of HEC-RAS (Version 4.0 Beta) is a significant upgrade to the previous version (version 3.1.3). As this is a Beta version, we are asking you to try out the software and send us any bugs or suggestions you have for improving the software. We have thoroughly tested the software, and are confident that it is performing as designed. However, since there are so many new features in this version, we felt it was necessary to have a beta test period to capture anything we did not uncover with our own testing. Please use the Bug Report or Suggestions area of this web page for sending us comments on this software. Thank you!"

"Version 4.0 of the River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) is now available. This version supersedes version 3.1.3, which was released in May of 2005 to the general public. Several new simulation features have been added to the program since that time. Version 4.0 of HEC-RAS includes the following new features:

1. Sediment Transport/Movable Bed Modeling
2. Sediment Impact Analysis Methods (SIAM)
3. Water Quality Capabilities (Temperature Modeling)
4. User Defined Rules for Controlling Gate Operations
5. Modeling Pressurized Pipe Flow
6. Pump Station Override Rules
7. New Channel Design/Modification Tools
8. Geo-Referencing Tools
9. New Gate Types
10. New Functionality for Lateral Weirs
11. Additional Graphical Outputs
12. Shortcut Keys for Graphics
13. User’s Manual and Help System"

http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-ras/hecras-download.html

http://www.hec.usace.army.mil/software/hec-ras/hecras-whatsnew.html

 

[Callin]

The steady state model is virtually unchanged.

We have run a comparision between Hec-Ras 4.0 and Hec-6T and found that the one day simulation for bed change was quite different in locations.

We hope to give feedback to USACE soon.

 

[blueoak]

I rebuilt a very steep model running a dam breach analysis and it really seemed that the new HEC-RAS was much more stable. I need to take some time to check, but it seems there are less akward sections in the cross section plots of height versus conveyance. I think the algorithm was changed. For this reach the difference was pretty incredible.

I had to do just a lot less cross section smoothing to get a run out. Of course this could be seen as a bad thing.

 

[antoniopietrangeli]

I agree with what indicate by blueoak even if we have just startes our tests for dam break analysis.

We have already used HEC-RAS 4.0 for a culvert modelling and works fine.

Antonio Pietrangeli
Studio Pietrangeli

http://www.pietrangeli.it/Presentazione.html

 

[kedpe]

I am using this version and (re)learning the software. I have 4 XS with Q=1330 cfs through a bridge. It has created the BU and BD and I am getting a warning that says:
For the final momentum answer at the bridge, the upstream energy was computed lower than the downstream energy. This is not physically possible, the momentum answer has been disregarded.

Can anyone tell me what is I need to do?