Section 1 - Introduction and Tools

INTRODUCTION

DRAINAGE AND UTILITIES TOOLS

INTRODUCTION

The engineer will need a fundamental understanding of drainage design and the Rational Method that is used throughout OpenRoads Designer Drainage and Utilities. 

This platform includes storm drainage design and analysis as well as utilities engineering with capabilities to include conflict detection and non-drainage attribution. OpenRoads Designer Drainage and Utilities has two drainage calculation options: Analysis will not change the physical characteristics of the storm drainage; Design may change the physical characteristics.

It is the designer’s responsibility to adhere to the CTDOT Drainage Manual, CTDOT Hydraulics & Drainage Directives and Standards.

When possible, drainage components have been set-up to follow CTDOT standards and methods. The engineer is responsible to verify drainage items properties.

Drainage and Utilities uses the terrain model referenced into a DGN file to display the storm drainage and other utilities in 2D and 3D. Drainage structures and conduits are fully integrated in graphic and database functions. The data is in the graphics within the design file (*.dgn file). The design file is part of a “federated” dataset. Design files are segregated by purpose > different engineering object types or scopes are in their own file. The project is assimilated through the dynamic use of reference files.

Use Drainage and Utilities to: 

• Analyze the existing storm drainage for a project site, a single system or multiple, or
• Analyze the existing storm drainage and upgrade for a project site as needed/required or
• Analyze and/or design proposed storm drainage system(s) for a project site and
• Analyze conflicts between existing utilities and proposed drainage.

The designer will be working in the 2D model, Drainage and Utilities will create the 3D model the same way as in ORD.

DRAINAGE AND UTILITIES TOOLS

This guide will not document each tool that is available in the OpenRoads Designer Drainage and Utilities interface. See the Bentley Online Help for commands not detailed in this document.

» Home

Attributes – with most workflows, it shows all attributes that are active.

Primary – opens the explorer, properties, attach tools for references and raster files, level manager, level displays (common MicroStation tools).

Selection – houses the Element Selection tool, Select All, Select None and Fence tools.

Model Analysis – Civil Analysis gives the user the option to analyze various items.

A useful tool for the drainage design is the Analyze Trace Slope - The Trace Slope tool shows the down/up slope direction of the slope at anyone point within the active terrain.  The Trace Slope tool should be used in its separate file and referenced into the drainage file as needed.

Model Import/Export - various import and export options. 

Terrain Import – creates a terrain model from File, Ascii File, Elements, and Point Cloud etc., see Bentley Online help for more Terrain options. Import Geometry from various file types. 

Import Utilities – import drainage data from various other software, i.e. InRoads and Export Utilities to various other software, see Bentley Online help.

Export Utilities – export drainage data to various other software, see Bentley Online help.

 

Terrain import, geometry import or import utilities should be done in a separate file and referenced into the drainage file as needed.

 

 

» Layout

 

The Layout tab allow the user to place utility structures and connect the structures with conduits. The utilities can be below the surface, on the surface or above the surface.

Layout - this is the main tool to place utilities, such as drainage structures and pipes, this will be explained in more detail under Section 3 - Laying Out Drainage.

Profile Runs - are profiles along a series of structures.  Different profiles can be created from the Start Node or the Outfall and Links can be added to a profile run.

Toggles - will open/activate Civil Accudraw and the Civil Message Center.

 

» Analysis

The Analysis tab set calculation parameters, standards, constraints, and scenarios for drainage items and will be explained in more detail under Section 4 - Drainage Computation

Calculation - this is the center for drainage calculations.     

Analysis Tools - holds the Compute Center (one tool box for access to calculations), Default Design Constraints are set to CTDOT standards and should be reviewed for project specific constraints (i.e. max. spread, conduit slope), Show Gutter Flow will show the path of any overflows from catch basins. 

Analysis Views - houses the flex tables – CTDOT specific flex tables for hydraulic analysis have been established, queries can be used to report on specific item

 

 

» Components

The Components tab are used to establish project specific storm data, drainage properties and settings, it will be explained in more detail under Section 4 - Drainage and Computation

Common - create – import Storm Data, select Global Storm Events.     

Catalog - access to engineering libraries, inlet – gutter – conduit catalogs, culvert inlet coefficients and rainfall curves from csv files.  Prototypes for drainage items are set to CTDOT Standards and can be updated to project specific data if needed.

Trenches - access to template tools – edit template drop – apply linear template for trenches used in the design.

 

» Utilities View

The Utilities View tools open views of various drainage properties.

Drawing Views - element symbology allows control how elements and associated label are displayed; open profile model generates a view presenting a desired feature in profile; open cross section view creates a dynamic cross section of a selection item; these are the ORD Modeling tools.      

Results Views - houses the Flex Tables – CTDOT specific Flex Tables for hydraulic analysis have been established and the user can view input data and results for all elements of a specific type in a tabular format.

Selection and Query - create, edit, and navigate selection sets; display all queries in the current hydraulic model; open the network navigator.

Element Views - Properties displays a dialog box containing selected elements associated properties; Utility Properties displays the subsurface utilities and hydraulic analysis of a selected element; Prototypes displays and allows edit to default values for elements in a network.  Prototypes have been set-up to CTDOT Standards, the engineer needs to verify the items in the project.

Customize - Customize Properties allows customization and changes to default user interface; Customize Tooltip allows customization of tooltips that appear when hovering over an element.

 

» Tools

The Tools tab is divided into general tools and project tools.

Tools - utilities conflicts allows detection of physical clashes and clearances between elements; user data extensions allows adding data fields to the hydraulic model toolbox; model builder allows existing GIS assets to construct a new model or update an existing model; update descriptions of conduits in the model; branch labeling sets the labels of conduits; set feature definition allows setting/locking a feature definition.     

Project Tools - houses project defaults, i-model configuration to export drainage calculations, project properties, synchronize drawing and annotation tool to label the drainage items.

License Activation - StormCAD Unlimited.

 

» Report

The Report tab gives the user fast access to various reports for Tables, Civil and Drainage and Utilities.

Report - Custom Report allows the user to assemble a wide variety of model input, results, graphs, etc. in a customized report.

Tables - access to all Flex Tables and Network Elements Table for the utility project.

Civil - access to civil reports such as horizontal geometry report and corridor reports.

Drainage and Utilities - access to various reports and summaries for the drainage design.

 

» Drawing Production

The Drawing Production tab is divided into tables, notes, text, annotation and named boundaries, explanations are found in detail under CTDOT CONNECT DDE Manual Volume 13 – Sheet Production.

Drawing Production tools enables the user to place notes and labels; place and edit text; annotate an individual element or an entire model; enables sheet production through the Named Boundary tool.