Simple Pipe Analysis

[bblazer95]

This may be the dumbest question ever posted, but how do I use Civil 3D to do basic pipe analysis computations? For example, I give it the slope, material, etc. and it spits out the flow velocity, flow depth, slope min, etc.

All I want for now is a basic tool for sizing pipes without all the bells, loops & whistles. I can learn the fancy pipe networking stuff later.

Thanks

[Charlie.Ogden]

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bblazer95 wrote:

All I want for now is a basic tool for sizing pipes without all the bells, loops & whistles. I can learn the fancy pipe networking stuff later.

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Does this mean you want to size pipes without creating pipe networks...? or are you looking for a simple method without too much of the analysis tools?  If the former you could use one of the analysis applications, if the latter you could use expressions in labels to calculate the capacity using the Manning equation.

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@bblazer95 wrote:

...how do I use Civil 3D to do basic pipe analysis computations? For example, I give it the slope, material, etc. and it spits out the flow velocity, flow depth, slope min, etc.

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You'd need to give it a flow also... what hydrology method do you need to use?  Analysis computations are performed in the included analysis applications.  Hydraflow Storm Sewers will let you size pipes based on the Rational Method.  Storm and Sanitary Analysis will calculate the flow to pipes based on other methods.

[walterlewinski]

You could use an expression in a pipe label to show max Q and the pipe diameter and slope.

Check this out, it's in the C3D user documentation.

http://docs.autodesk.com/CIVIL/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%20Civil%202010%20User%20Documentation/index.html?url...

[ccoles]

Why not just use the Hydraflows 'Express' tool to determine that? It gives you the simple tools you need to quickly size culverts, channels, inlets and curb spread, and weirs. Then just type in the results to the pipe properties and you can build labels and tables from there. Quick, easy, and you don't need to build a model to do it.

[gauss2069]

Well Hydraulics is the part I long for C3D to reach at, where we can use simple pipe anlysis and get some answers! We have the basic toos of anlysis right now with the program. I have spent a good chunk of the day getting the Civil 3D template to 2013 version and I can see some "HYDR" layers. I got to dig a little more on the interface of these good stuff with SSA now. Things are getting intersting now! Hydraulics and Hydrology is not just grading or alignment tools, Autodesk is getting close!

[jprinster]

I am having the same issue. Our company used to use Flowmaster for this, but now with IDS we want to try to stay all-AutoDesk. The Hydraflow Express in C3D-2014 is quite clunky.
-Can't change the pipe diameter units,
-Can't get suggested N values for various materials.
-Report generation is very limited.
-not many solution options (just Known Q, Q vs D & known D)
-Unstable (error messages for simple circular pipe)

I use the printout to document open channel capacity in drainage reports. This is very cumbersome and can be made more user friendly. Joe.