StormCAD

Four Platform Options: Stand-alone, MicroStation, PowerCivil for North America, and AutoCAD

StormCAD can run on one of four different platforms: stand-alone, MicroStation, PowerCivil for North America, or AutoCAD. Regardless of the platform used, StormCAD maintains a single set of modeling files for true interoperability across platforms. StormCAD’s stand-alone, MicroStation, PowerCivil for North America, and AutoCAD platforms offer unique platform freedom and versatility.

The stand-alone platform offers easy-to-use model layout tools, multiple background support, conversion utilities from CAD, GIS, and databases, and unlimited undo and redo layout in a stand-alone Windows application (no additional CAD or GIS software required when running in stand-alone).

The MicroStation platform provides a geospatial and engineering design environment with unrivaled visualization and publishing tools. All StormCAD versions can run from the MicroStation platform, meaning they can run 'inside' MicroStation (MicroStation license required).

The PowerCivil platform provides comprehensive design software, offering civil engineers and designers a flexible 2D/3D tool for land development and site modeling. All StormCAD versions can run on the PowerCivil platform, meaning they can run 'inside' PowerCivil (PowerCivil for North America license required).

AutoCAD users can purchase the optional AutoCAD platform integration, allowing them to build, lay out, and plot models with engineering precision within the AutoCAD environment they are already comfortable with (AutoCAD license required).

You can also customize and extend StormCAD using the WaterObjects.Net application programming interface.

Import and Export 'Drainage' Files from GEOPAK and PowerCivil

StormCAD now has the ability to import and export 'Drainage' files from GEOPAK and PowerCivil for North America. Engineers and designers can now lay a drainage network out in GEOPAK or PowerCivil, then import that network into StormCAD for further analysis. If the storm sewer design changes, an updated Drainage file can be exported from StormCAD then used in GEOPAK or PowerCivil to create sets of plans and profiles.

Layout, Model Building, and Data Management

The StormCAD graphical user interface has been designed to provide maximum flexibility and the best user experience. The workspace can be customized by dragging and resizing windows, or by docking them to the main display. You can also define and save a named view, so that you can quickly and easily return to that same area of interest at any time.

StormCAD now supports the LandXML standard for data import and export. That means sharing storm sewer pipe network information between StormCAD and other LandXML compatible civil design packages is easy. The TRex tool in StormCAD is able to extract ground elevations from DXF files, shapefiles, or LandXML files, and assign those to junctions in the model.

• Stand-alone Windows interface
• MicroStation-based interface
• PowerCivil-based interface
• AutoCAD-based interface
• Unlimited undo and redo
• Element morphing, splitting, and reconnection
• Automatic element labeling
• Scaled, schematic, and hybrid environments
• Scaled catchment and gutter elements
• Element prototypes
• Aerial view and dynamic zooming
• Named views library
• Multiple background layer support
• Image, CAD, and GIS background support
  • DXF
  • Shapefile
  • Bitmap
  • JPEG
  • TIFF
  • PNG
  • GIF
  • MrSID
    
• ModelBuilder module
• Automatic elevation extraction (TRex)
• LandXML import/export
• Active topology (activate or deactivate network elements)
• Tabular reports with global editing
• Sorting and persistent filtering on tabular reports
• Customizable engineering libraries
• Dynamic (query-based) and static selection sets
• Element selection by polygon
• Element selection inversion
• Table opening on selection
• Global engineering units management
• Drawing review tools for connectivity consistency
• Automatic topology review
• Drawing navigator
• Orphaned node and dead-end pipe queries
• Hyperlink for network elements to store photos, relevant documents, web links, or other files
• User-data extension
• Support of ProjectWise and Bentley Geospatial Management
• Dynamic (query-based) selection sets
• Support for external tools
• Support to add hyperlinks to elements
• Active topology 
• Element selection by polygon

Comprehensive Scenario Management

StormCAD Scenario Management Center gives engineers full control to configure, run, evaluate, visualize, and compare an unlimited number of what-if scenarios within a single file. Use a single model to evaluate an unlimited number of design, operational, and sanitary loading scenarios.

Engineers can easily make decisions by comparing design approaches with varying velocity, slope and cover restrictions, evaluating system capacity for multiple storm events, or analyzing outlet flow using different estimations for the catchment rational coefficients.

• Unlimited scenarios and alternatives
• Comprehensive scenario management

The active topology feature allows different scenarios to be set up to examine various system expansion strategies. For example, a new subdivision can be made active in one scenario, and the resulting flows and hydraulic grade line elevations compared to another scenario in the same file where the new subdivision is inactive.

Interoperability and Data Connections

StormCAD lets you connect with virtually any data source to jumpstart your model building process and maintain your modeling data synchronized with your CAD, GIS, and other data sources.

• Single set of model files for three compatible interfaces
• Bidirectional synchronized database connections
• Bidirectional synchronized shapefile connections
• Polyline-to-pipe connections from DXF and DWG files
• Spreadsheet, database, and ODBC connections
• LandXML import/export

Inlet and Network Hydraulics

StormCAD determines intercepted flow at network inlets and routes bypass flow to selected bypass targets. Inlets can be computed using the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) HEC-22 methodology and you can chose from grate, curb, slot, ditch, and combination inlet types. Engineers can use a variety of methods to compute headloss, including the HEC-22 Energy and AASHTO methods.

StormCAD solves for subcritical, critical, and supercritical conditions with its robust, gradually varied, standard-step algorithm. StormCAD calculates friction losses using Manning, Kutter, Darcy-Weisbach, and Hazen-Williams, and you can choose circular, box, arch, or elliptical pipe section shapes or irregular, trapezoidal, or triangular channel sections.

• Steady-state simulations
• Flow profile methods: capacity and backwater analysis
• Headloss methods: AASHTO, HEC-22, standard, absolute, generic, and headloss-flow curve
• Friction loss methods: Manning, Kutter, Darcy-Weisbach, and Hazen-Williams
• Curb, grate, ditch, slot, generic, combination, and user-defined capture curve inlet types
• Open channel and closed conduit hydraulics
• Automatic constraint-based design
• Diversion simulation
• User-defined headloss vs. flow curve 
• Elevation flow rating curve downstream boundary conditions 
• Time of concentration calculator
• Support for any inlet type
• New prismatic open channel conduits
• New scaled catchment element 
• New diversion link element 
• New scaled gutter element

Hydrology and Load Allocation

StormCAD uses the rational method to calculate peak flows in the storm sewer design. In place of flows calculated using the rational method, StormCAD also accepts direct input of known flows for inlet inflows. You can enter or import watershed time of concentration information, or specify a minimum allowable time of concentration to prevent high runoff estimates for small catchments. StormCAD lets you specify Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) data using equations (including Hydro-35) or tables. Modelers can then plot the IDF curves, and reuse their data for other projects in that region. Engineers can work with an unlimited number of sub-watershed areas and C coefficients for each inlet watershed. StormCAD allows the input of external contributing areas, additional flows, and carryover flows to model non-local runoff contributing to the discharge at any inlet. StormCAD provides several methods for computing travel time, including full pipe velocity, normal velocity, average end velocity, and weighted average velocity.

• Rational method
• Rainfall data input: user-defined
• Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) table, Hydro-35
• IDF table equation, IDF curve equation
• IDF polynomial log equation
• User-defined time of concentration methods
• Carter, Eagleson, Espey/Winslow, Federal Aviation
• Agency, Kerby/Hathaway, Kirpich (PA and TN)
• Length and Velocity, SCS Lag, TR-55 Sheet Flow
• TR-55 Shallow Concentrated Flow, and TR-55
• Channel Flow
• External load assignment

Automatic Design

The constraint-based design features in StormCAD allow modelers to automatically design gravity piping and structures. The design is flexible enough to specify the elements to be designed, from a single pipe size to the entire system, by simply entering the appropriate design conditions, such as:

• Minimum and maximum velocities
• Covers and slopes
• Pipe elevation offsets (including whether or not to allow drop structures)
• Maximum spread and depth for inlets in sag
• Minimum efficiency for inlets on grade

You can even specify unique velocity, cover, and slope constraints for each different pipe rise (diameter) in the model.

StormCAD uses the design constraints to automatically determine cost-effective pipe sizes and invert elevations while minimizing pipe cover to avoid unnecessary pipe trench excavation.

Results Presentation

Flexible results presentation lets you locate bottlenecks quickly using thematic mapping, FlexTables, profiles, and other tools. Quickly create a contour plot of model input (like ground elevations) or results (such as hydraulic grade line), and export these directly to MicroStation, AutoCAD, or DXF format.

• Thematic mapping
• Advanced element symbology and annotation
• Network navigator
• Dynamic, multi-parameter, and multi-scenario graphing
• Advanced profiling
• Advanced tabular reporting with FlexTables
• Property-based color coding and symbology
• Property-based annotation
• Parameter-based contouring
• Shapefile and DXF contour export