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Advanced Hydraulic Structures in HEC-RAS

This course explores advanced hydraulic structure modeling in HEC-RAS and is the third course in our pathway of HEC-RAS courses.

Participants will evaluate modeling approaches for bridges, culverts, weirs, dam structures, and related hydraulic controls; enter detailed structure geometry; choose appropriate coefficients and breach parameters; compute losses; generate rating curves; export structure results; and troubleshoot common structure-related model issues. The course emphasizes defensible model setup and interpretation for design, floodplain studies, infrastructure review, and risk assessment.

Our HEC-RAS pathway of courses is as follows:

Using HEC-RAS to Model Bridges, Culverts, and Floodplains
Advanced 2D Modeling with HEC-RAS and RAS Mapper
Advanced Hydraulic Structures in HEC-RAS (this course)
Rainfall-Runoff Modeling with HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS

It is highly recommended that participants take the earlier courses in the HEC-RAS pathway before taking this course; however, it is not required.

View course details

Who Should Attend?

Engineers, hydrologists, floodplain managers, consultants, agency reviewers, planners, and technical staff who prepare, review, or use hydraulic models.
Professionals who model or review bridges, culverts, weirs, dams, road embankments, and related hydraulic structures.
Consultants and technical professionals performing hydraulic studies or regulatory submittals.
Government agency staff and planners responsible for flood risk assessment, permitting, or infrastructure review.
All participants who have taken other HEC-RAS Courses in our HEC-RAS pathway of courses at UW-Madison

Course Details: RA00157-E435

This course is offered online:

Offered over 6 weeks, with pre-recorded content, exercises, and a 1.5 hour Live session each week.
A recording will be made available of the live session for those who cannot attend.
Participants should expect to spend 3-5 hours per week on the course.
This format offers significant flexibility for working professionals and can accommodate a variety of schedules.

Online Course Schedule (Offered over 6 weeks)

Week 1, Topic 1: Modeling Approaches for Hydraulic Structures
Week 2, Topic 2: Single and Multi-Barrel Pipe and Box Culverts
Week 3, Topic 3: Bridge Decks, Piers, Abutments, Headwalls, and Wingwalls
Week 4, Topic 4: Weir Coefficients and Dam Breach Parameters
Week 5, Topic 5: Structure Losses and Rating Curves
Week 6, Topic 6: Exporting Results, Scour Protection, and Troubleshooting

Topics covered over the 6 week course:

Modeling Approaches for Hydraulic Structures

Selecting the right representation for the structure and project purpose

Review of 1D, 2D, and combined 1D/2D structure modeling options
Choosing between bridges, culverts, inline structures, lateral structures, storage area/2D connections, and terrain-based representations
Data requirements for structure geometry, survey, plans, inspection records, and field verification
Understanding project objectives: design, floodplain mapping, dam safety, screening, or alternatives analysis
Model setup quality control for structure hydraulics

Single and Multi-Barrel Pipe and Box Culverts

Detailed culvert inputs, coefficients, and result interpretation

Culvert geometry, shape, inlet and outlet configuration, and barrel data
Single barrel, multi-barrel, pipe, box, arch, and embedded structure considerations
Inlet control, outlet control, tailwater, entrance losses, and outlet losses
Roadway overtopping and combined culvert and weir flow
Hands-on culvert modeling exercise and result review

Bridge Decks, Piers, Abutments, Headwalls, and Wingwalls

Representing bridge geometry and flow losses

Bridge opening geometry, deck and roadway data, low chord, high chord, and pressure flow considerations
Pier geometry, abutments, skew, ineffective flow areas, blocked obstructions, and contraction/expansion reaches
Modeling headwalls, wingwalls, approach embankments, and related controls
Selecting bridge computation methods and reviewing output tables
Diagnosing unrealistic bridge losses, ineffective flow behavior, and flow distribution issues

Weir Coefficients and Dam Breach Parameters

Using hydraulic controls and breach assumptions responsibly

Inline and lateral weirs, broad-crested weirs, sharp-crested weirs, ogee controls, and roadway overtopping
Selecting and documenting weir coefficients
Dam breach parameter inputs, breach timing, breach geometry, and sensitivity considerations
Boundary conditions and routing effects for dam and reservoir scenarios
Uncertainty, conservatism, and communication of breach modeling assumptions

Structure Losses and Rating Curves

Quantifying hydraulic behavior across flow ranges

Computing and reviewing contraction, expansion, entrance, exit, pier, pressure flow, and weir losses
Developing rating curves for culverts, bridges, weirs, and other controls
Comparing alternatives and documenting governing hydraulic conditions
Using plan comparisons and sensitivity runs to understand model behavior
Linking hydraulic results to design criteria and regulatory questions

Exporting Results, Scour Protection, and Troubleshooting

Preparing practical deliverables and resolving common problems

Exporting tables, profiles, cross-section plots, maps, and structure-specific results
Interpreting velocity, shear, depth, overtopping, and freeboard outputs
Applying hydraulic results to scour protection screening and preliminary countermeasure discussions
Troubleshooting warning messages, nonconvergence, blocked flow, unexpected overtopping, and unrealistic rating curves
Final model review checklist, questions and answers, and wrap-up

Instructor
Krey Price
Director
Krey Price is a civil engineer specializing in water resources. Krey is based in Perth, Australia, where he provides consulting and training services in flood modeling. Krey has a master’s degree in hydraulic and coastal engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. Krey’s thirty-year career has included modeling, design, and project management for international flood mitigation projects.
Program Director
Adib Amini

Participants will complete hands-on workshops using the current version of HEC-RAS and RAS Mapper.

A Windows laptop is required. Participants should install required software before the first session and confirm that they can open the workshop files.

All students will need a Windows laptop that has:

A high-speed internet connection
HEC-RAS, current version
Microsoft Excel
Adobe Acrobat Reader or another PDF reader

Total Credits:

CEU 2.1,

PDH 21,

Course Administration

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
Provide the registrations representative with:
- the course name, dates, and/or course number.
- the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

Request Purchase Order information from registration@cerc.wisc.edu
- If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email registration@cerc.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

Advanced Hydraulic Structures in HEC-RAS

2027 and later

Who Should Attend?

Course Details: RA00157-E435

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Course Administration

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