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Model Comparison Stormnet vs PCSWMM

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Shencko

Civil/Environmental
Mar 27, 2011
1
Hello Fellow Engineers,

I’m a Civil Engineer involved in hydrology who is currently doing a study on the Comparison of performance & results from Stormnet and PCSWMM (hydrologic and hydraulic) modeling for unguaged small urban watersheds in Trinidad.

As is expected each model may have advantages or disadvantages based on different performance criteria such as size of catchments and sub-catchments, terrain, landuse, model time-steps, user-friendliness, compatibility with other software, lack of / hardly available data, etc.

I will be conducting quantitative analysis of simulated vs observed results (peak flows) for a number of events under different scenario, to determine model efficiency (Em) as defined by Nash as well as whether or not there is significant statistical differences.

The purpose of my thread is to do a qualitative survey to gather any useful information any modeller or Hydrologic/Hydraulic Engineer who have used one of or both of these software to model / analyse a small urban watersheds have realized, observed or figured out.

N.B – I will not be testing the capabailities of water quality modelling or sediment transport in this study, however if there is any information worthy of sharing about the performance on any of the two models as it relates to either, then it will be gladly welcomed.

Background:
1. Local Consultants currently use both software, but different views are given on pros and cons of each software, most of which are subjective and obviously comes from familiarity with one more than the other.
2. Two sample sites were chosen, one on flat terrain and the other on sloping terrain.
3. Rainfall pattern most similar to SCS Type 2
4. Meteorology is tropical climate, with high intensity rainfall during the wet season ( 6 mnths) each averaging about 30 mins
5. Earlier Studies have suggested that for Trinidad it may be best to model using :

Rainfall Lost – Initial Abstraction
Transform – Clarke / scs unit hydrograph
Routing - Muskingam
Which model work best utilizing these parameters??

Thank you for any useful input, idea or suggestion that you can afford me that may be useful to my study.

Regards.

 
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Shencko,

Stormnet (or now called the Autodesk Storm and Sanitary Analysis Stand Alone -2011) has the capability to model hydrology using the EPA SWMM engine. Comparing peak flows from either software (if using the EPA engine in Stormnet) should produce the same results for both software.

From an overall modelling standpoint, it would more than likely come down to a user preference as to what software to use. Each software has tools bulit in to make your life easier. I believe PCSWMM has more tools built in that may be useful for analysing large pipe networks or new developments.

Hope this helps.
 
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