User manual

inp.PINS is designed to integrate Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The main idea is to link SWMM visual objects between these two platforms (see APPENDIX B of SWMM manual) and not include numerical data that is not necessary to define these objects. Therefore, a little job in SWMM still need to be done...

As shown in Figure 1, inpPINS can be used to generate SWMM input file (.inp) with the information that is in GIS files (shape and grid files) and, after SWMM analysis, this software build shape files (.shp) with the result SWMM file (.rpt), which can be combined with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM).

Figure 1 - inpPINS working diagram.

inp.PINS was developed under VB.NET using MapWinGIS ActiveX control. It is published as a standalone version.

1 - Introduction

inp.PINS has three main modules:

1 - inpMaker - to create .inp files based on GIS data;

2 - inpFlood - to build .shp files with results from SWMM combined with Digital Elevation Model (DEM);

3 - inpTools - to help managing data.

inpMaker and inpFlood are two independent forms and inpTools is available in the main menu of inp.PINS.

The main menu has common controls (File, View, Help) and the status bar indicates the state of the process running. XML project files can be saved and opende with all configuration data.

2 - inpMaker

inpMaker is shown in Figure 2. The TreeView on the left displays all the visual SWMM objects that can bee characterized by selecting the item and editing the property grid on the right. The idea is to select a shape file and then link the columns fields of this shape to the object characteristics. The title or notes of the .inp file can be inserted in the bottom text box.

Figure 2 - inpMaker interface.

Default values and necessary options to create the .inp file can be edited by clicking in the main menu bottom Defaults / Options (Figure 3).

Figure 3 - inpMaker and defaults form interface.

After defining the relations between shape files and the SWMM objects, the .inp file can be created by clicking the main menu bottom |Make .inp|.

2.1 - inpMaker/Tsects

inp.PINS has the ability to create the cross sections (Tsects data) for IRREGULAR Shape Conduits by analyzing DEM data (Figure 4). There are two possibilities for these:

a) Insert XS_ShpPath with a polyline shape file that defines cross sections (XS);

b) Make inp.PINS create XS shape polyline by defining a perpendicular line to the extremes and in the middle of the IRREGULAR Conduits, with a length prompted to the user with the dialog shown on Figure 5.

These two options can be combined, but only XS shape polyline defined by the user imports hydraulic and geometry data. 

Overbanks can also be defined with a polyline shape file that intersects the XS shapes.

3 - inpFlood

inpFlood is shown on Figure 6 and at the upper side is the path definers and at the bottom the options. The main idea of this tool is to create flood plains, by analyzing max Node Depth on the .rpt file combined with Tsect data (if exists) and DEM grid.

Figure 6 - inpFlood interface.

The algorithm behind inpFlood is explained in Figure 7. The idea is to divide the conduits between a distance "di", calculate the water depth in that section (linearly from upstream to downstream node) and analyse the conduit Tsect (for IRREGULAR conduits shapes) or DEM grid at that section. The Tsect is placed along the conduit for each "di" and its elevation is changed linearly by the conduit upstream and downstream invert level. If these two options are selected inpFlood will give the smallest flood plain between Tsect and DEM result. Only conduits are analyzed and its shape do not matter - DEM analysis will take place to define flood plains for non IRREGULAR shape conduit.

Figure 7 - inpFlood philosophy.

The inpFlood options defined are:

- Min breaking link distance (di) - distance to divide the conduits;

- Max DEM transverse distance - maximum distance from conduit (perpendicular) to analyse DEM grid, to avoid instability;

- Transect analyse - if combo box selected Tsects are analyzed;

- DEM analyse - if combo box selected DEM is analyzed;

- Inlet OR Outlet Node HGL >= Inv. level + Max Depth - restrict building of flood plains only to conduits results that respects this condition.

Click |Flood Deliniation| and build the flood plains result files - one point file that has the Hydraulic Grade Line information and anothe polygon with the flood plain design.

4 - inpTools

Available from main menu (Figure 8), inp.PINS has also suitable tools to manage data:

- Create Node Shp from Links Shp - creates nodes at all link extremes of polylines shp file, within a snap tolerance.

- FromNode/ToNode assign to Links Shp - combine nodes with links shapes by defining two additional column fields in the polyline shape file with the closest distance node point, within a snap tolerance.

- Subcatchments connections - add a column field to subcatchments shape with the nearest node information calculated by polygons centroid values.

Figure 8 - inpTools item.