Relearning how to do storm and sanitary calculations for Subdivision.

[MatTheDrafter]

I’m relearning how to do storm and sanitary calculations for both site and land development. For the past 7 years I have primary been focused on drafting of design but lately I found to compete in today’s job market I need some solid design experience to back up my drafting. I am taking on to go over my notes from school but could use extra resources to relearn what I forgotten.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

[Ron]

Are you an engineer or drafter?

 

[darthsoilsguy2]

my experience is that college prepares you to learn, not necessarily design these things. Sanitary sewage design and stormwater design both find themselves having design constraints from local ordinances and state permitting rules and whatever the site itself throws at you. College notes won't help with that. Civil drafters should know fundamental concepts about drain/sewer design such as having a familiarity with the materials, min slopes, and cover requirements for pipes and how that affects precast structures and to know when the precast structure is the constraint. Drafters should be able to review a structure submittal. Recent "advancements" in site design software make it so drafters have to be more a part of the design process.

 

[beej67]

The level of detail you're going to need is going to vary widely by your jurisdiction. When I learned, in the late 90s we matched crowns and sized everything with The Wheel. (manning's equation, normal flow) Never had any problems. Nowadays, the same municipalities are requiring a HEC-22 style analysis, which is burdensome to do by hand so you pretty much need to learn Civil3D, Carlson, or Bentely StormCAD.

If you read and understand HEC-22 you'll be ahead of half your engineering design peers. Then it's just a matter of learning the software.

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[TerryScan]

I believe it would be wise to do "all of the above". On the practical side, it is most important to be knowledgeable of the local standards and codes. On the functional side, it would be important to be familiar with HEC-22. I do think understanding the hydraulic theory from school to be of utmost importance too. Yes, software will be used to design these systems, but the software can produce some wacky results. One needs to understand the systems in order to interpret and correct what can happen in the software. I have also found that sometimes the software can have errors that one would not realize unless one understands the underlying theory.

 

[dik]

I seem to recall that HEC-RAS is a free program, but, it likely has a learning curve like Everest...

Dik

 

[beej67]

HEC-RAS is not suitable for designing culverts in subdivisions, in any way, shape, or form.

The closest thing you're going to find to "free" in this space is probably FHWA Hydraulic Toolbox:

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/software/toolbox404.cfm

But even it isn't going to do networks of pipes properly. You can do gutter spread calculations and single pipes in it, but how one pipe interacts with another in a network is something you'd have to fudge up by hand.

If you're just looking at a single culvert crossing at a creek, and concerned about overtopping and such, use HY-8:

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/software/hy8/

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[cvg]

HEC-RAS is used all the time for channel and culvert design, even in subdivisions. I have seen it used many times. just depends on the size of the channel and culvert

 

[MatTheDrafter]

@Ron I have been primarily a draft for most of my career but want to get more into design especially now most job request at least some designing experience. My college did have some designing classes to it and one project did have us to a preliminary design for a subdivision but I am just realizing there is a lot more to designing than what I have experience on the job, in school and learning the local design standards. I can tell when a design deviates from standard protocols or violates local standards but I want to develop a deeper understanding.

I am open to all sources of information or ways of learning the different aspects of designing and potential design constraints one will face in the field. Presently I am access book at my local University on Land Development and Civil Engineering as a way of expanding my knowledge base.

Thank you for your suggestions so far. I am downloading what you have recommended and plan to go over them closely. Any more suggestion on how to learn more about land development would be welcomed.

 

[beej67]

To clarify, I was referring to networks of storm drain pipe, not to singular culvert crossings.

Hydrology, Drainage Analysis, Flood Studies, and Complex Stormwater Litigation for Atlanta and the South East -

http://www.campbellcivil.com

 

[Drew08]

Free EPA SWMM is my favorite for culvert networks. Just saying...

 

[MatTheDrafter]

Thank you @Beej67 and @Drew08. The information you provided gave me a good starting point. Presently I am also using Global ETrainer Professional Library to further my understanding of civil engineering and hoping to connect with a mentor through my association that has experience in the designing field.