New features in PCSWMM 2006

The GIS component has once again been improved, now with expanded support for the Extran module of SWMM

Automatic calibration of RDII parameters

The G.A. Calibration tool uses a genetic algorithm approach to optimize the RTK parameters used in rainfall-dependent infiltration/inflow computations. The GA Calibration tool fits the entire shape of the computed RDII response to that of the observed flow. This works equally well for SWMM5 models as SWMM4 models.

Comprehensive support for Extran in the GIS

The GIS component of PCSWMM 2006 now fully supports all entity types in the Extran layer. Supported entities include all types of pumps, weirs, orifices, storage facilities, and natural channels. An outfall entity type has also been added. Dynamic HGL profiles can be displayed through all entity types. All forms of data entry for these entity types in Extran are supported, including storage stage/area tables, storage volume equations, timed closure orifices, head-dependent orifices, multiple pumping rate tables or equations, etc.

Animated legends

Computed results as well as input functions and observed time series can be displayed in a graphical way (both dynamic, animated playback and static results) through the GIS's legends feature. Click on the screen capture to view a video of dynamic rainfall (moving storms tracking over the catchment) and the resulting computed node depths.

New transect editor

The GIS component includes a graphical transect editor for editing/creating natural channel transects for the HEC-2 style natural channel simulations in Extran.

Improved help in the GIS

The GIS now provides dropdown lists for defined attribute values - for example user-friendly names are provided for all conduit types in the Runoff, Transport, Extran and SWMM5 layers.

Entity ordering

The flexible arrangement of entities in the SWMM Runoff/Transport/Extran input file is made possible with the optional entity ordering dialog in PCSWMM 2006 GIS. Entity data lines can be written to the input file in either ascending or descending order for any attribute in the GIS (e.g. list conduits alphabetically entity name, or list subcatchments in order of increasing area or percent impervious, etc.)

Expanded object board in the main PCSWMM 2006 Object Manager window

The object board (i.e. area for arranging SWMM objects in the main PCSWMM 2006 Object Manager) has been dramatically increased in size and now sports scroll bars and an object layout navigator for viewing and arranging your objects. Now you can easily work with 100 or more objects in a single folder.

Earlier features

The 2003 release of PCSWMM 2006 featured an all new GIS tool, as well as numerous incremental updates to other PCSWMM 2006 tools. We worked intensively with select clients over the previous year to implement the GIS features needed for state-of-the-art storm water management modeling. Highlights of the new GIS tool include:

Support for multiple SWMM layers

Any number of SWMM models (input files) can be opened in PCSWMM 2006 GIS for simultaneous editing or analysis. For example, SWMM models containing multiple Runoff, Transport and/or Extran modules can be opened and edited as a group, and/or multiple iterations of the same model can be opened and compared (for evaluating best management alternatives). The entities belonging to each SWMM model can be color-coded for easy identification

Improved entity manipulation

A new toolbox is provided for the manipulation of SWMM entity locations in the map view. Groups of entities can be translated to new coordinates through the use of scaling, stretching and group moving tools - very useful when aligning imported or existing model networks over new background layers with differing coordinate systems. A node positioning tool is also included for locating imported entities.

Entity appearance control

Each entity now has its own attributes to control entity appearance in the map view. Attributes like line color and width, point style and size, polygon color and fill style, all are individually editable for all supported entities. It is now easy to visually differentiate a trunk sewer or mark entities with incomplete data.

Table editing

An all new table editor has been added for attribute editing. Directly linked to the underlying database of PCSWMM 2006, it supports SQL querying as well as grouping, sorting and otherwise organizing your entity data. Column editing is also supported directly in the Table view. For example, you could select all conduits where the Type is Circular and the Diameter is greater than 2 feet (using SQL), view the table to check the existing Roughness values for the selected conduits and then globally apply a new Roughness value to the selected conduits.

Points of Interest

A new layer type in PCSWMM 2006 GIS, points of interest layers contain collections of pin entities that allow linking to external files. It is easy to attach photo's, videos, documents, even web links to specific geographic locations or entities in your map. An example of use would be CCTV of a pipe interior played by clicking on the conduit entity. Hundreds or thousands of points of interest can be defined, and organized into multiple layers for ease of management.

Flexible database model

PCSWMM 2006's underlying database is now directly compatible with the latest Microsoft Jet engine, allowing external editing through a wide variety of third-party database tools, including direct support of Office XP and/or Microsoft Access 2000. The GIS database structure is flexible and allows for the addition of user-defined tables and fields. The PCSWMM 2006 GIS interface automatically incorporates new fields/attributes and provides editing, dependency, and legend visualization support (see below).

Legends

A powerful visualization technique newly incorporated into the GIS, legends associate entity colors and/or sizes with different ranges of attribute values for one or more entity attributes. Used to visualize the data stored in any attribute field (including user-defined attributes), multiple legends can be created for each entity type (e.g. subcatchments, conduits, etc.). Support is provided for color and size gradations, as well as normalizing one attribute with another. Legends are dynamic - changing attribute values are reflected in the legend, and can be stored, organized and quickly recalled.

Improved SQL querying

Querying your entity/attribute data has been improved in both simplicity and power, with SQL textboxes conveniently placed in both map view and table editor modes. Advanced queries can be created, saved, organized and quickly recalled - adding powerful data analysis and presentation tools to your modeling environment.

Improved GIS importing

PCSWMM 2006 improves the importing of data to the PCSWMM 2006 GIS SWMM layers with support for multiple sources of data in a single import, as well as adding the capability to define and quickly recall flexible import profiles for situations involving similar external data source formats, or repeated importing of data. SQL query support extends to filtering external data to be imported. SWMM5 models can also be quickly imported directly from the native SWMM5 input files.

Overland flow path delineation

Overland flow path polylines can now be defined for each subcatchment entity in order to measure the maximum length of overland flow. PCSWMM 2006 GIS uses the computed length of the polyline along with the computed area of the subcatchment polygon to determine a first estimate for the subcatchment width parameter.

Join / split conduits

Joining a pathway of two or more conduit entities into single, hydraulically equivalent conduit (i.e. model aggregation) has been simplified in PCSWMM 2006. A new routine has been added to reverse the process (split single entities into multiple entities).

Multi-entity attribute editing

Attribute sheet editing now supports multiple entities. A powerful method for batch updating of selected entities, the attribute sheet indicates which attributes have shared values within the selected group of entities, and allows instant updating of any attribute field, including user-defined attributes. Other mathematical type operations can be performed on multiple attributes (e.g. adding 0.003 to the Roughness value of all selected conduits) through the Replace dialog box.

Prevent label overlapping

An option to prevent label overlapping has been implemented to clean up the map view when displaying hundred of entities. Label priority is given to the active layer.

Text attribute formatting

More flexibility has been added to entity naming during entity creation within PCSWMM 2006, as well as reformatting existing entity ID's. Alphanumeric ID creation is now possible with user specified format strings (e.g. "pre#00r" format string will result in incremental ID generation of "pre100r", "pre200r", etc.). The Replace tool can use format strings to append comments to the Comments (or other text-based) attribute, and/or reformat existing ID's.

These features, as well as many smaller improvements, make the revolutionary 2004 GIS update an excellent reason to upgrade for existing PCSWMM 2006 users, as well as provide a convincing argument for the power and flexibility of the PCSWMM 2006 modeling environment to potential new users.

Other features

The PCSWMM 2002 release included a number of powerful all-new tools, as well as hundreds of incremental improvements to existing tools. Workflow was improved across the board, thanks to the constructive input from hundreds of users, extensive support for timeseries handling, editing, analysis and visualization was added, and our usual collection of unique tools for advanced users was expanded with the flexible Genetic Algorithm Calibration tool. Some 2002 release highlights included:

New interface streamlines workflow

The PCSWMM 2006 graphical interface has been revamped to make a more efficient work environment and to address the needs of time-pressed consulting engineers. The tools of PCSWMM 2006 are now even easier for novices to get up to speed with, user customizations are stored to eliminate repetitive commands, and more detailed analysis and reporting is presented on-screen. 

Support for the latest version of SWMM 4.4h

PCSWMM 2006 now fully supports the latest SWMM 4.4h, including surface to surface routing (run-on) and BMP’s. PCSWMM 2006 remains fully compatible with all previous SWMM versions released in the last decade (all are included in the installation CD). In addition, there is improved support for third-party or in-house SWMM versions, keeping PCSWMM 2006 in the top spot as the most flexible and only complete SWMM decision support system.

Timeseries Manager

PCSWMM 2006 features a dedicated tool for the management and manipulation of observed and computed timeseries. The Timeseries Manager supports all PCSWMM 2006 and SWMM related timeseries, including both short, event-based and long-term, continuous timeseries of absolutely any type (e.g. rainfall, flow, depth, velocity, storage volume, all quality constituents, etc). Timeseries can be copied and pasted back and forth between PCSWMM 2006 and various third-party tools (e.g. spreadsheets) and/or automatically formatted as input timeseries for the various SWMM hydrologic and hydraulic modules (Runoff, Transport, Extran and Storage). Powerful graphical editing tools are provided for importing and/or manipulating any timeseries, including time-shifting, interpolating to a specified fixed time step or synchronizing multiple timeseries, subtracting/adding timeseries, flow splitting, cutting and pasting timeseries and many, many more functions.

Objective and Evaluation functions

The Graph tool has been rewritten to provide faster support for large (millions of data points) data sets, as well as to provide instantaneous objective and evaluation function computations on multiple timeseries for easy comparative analysis. Ten objective functions are computed on any timeseries, including peaks, totals, exceedances and deficits. Multiple error functions are computed on either the continuous timeseries or on arrays of objective functions (for multi-event analysis).

Dynamic Hydraulic Grade Line visualization

Many obvious and subtle improvements to this useful visualization tool result in a powerful reason to upgrade to our new version. Users have the ability to store multiple profiles under user-friendly names for quick recall, as well as adding user-defined labels. Very long profiles are handled aesthetically, and profile selection routines are more intelligent, making the process a two-click operation. A new show peak values option instantaneously displays the maximum hydraulic grade line for the simulation, and there are many other improvements.

Genetic Algorithm Calibration

As part of our advanced Sensitivity, Calibration and Error Analysis (SCEA) toolset, the all new G.A. Calibration tool is a powerful genetic algorithm-based software tool for the complete calibration of SWMM Runoff, Transport, Extran and/or Storage Treatment modules. Model calibration is a crucial step in developing a useful storm water model, especially when the model is used to evaluate one or more "what-if" scenarios in an existing storm water system. While a SWMM model can be applied to very simple modeling problems, it can also be quite complex, containing thousands of significant hydraulic and hydrologic entities. As each model element may contain as many as a dozen sensitive parameters, and as the volume of available observed timeseries data increases, rigorous manual calibration can be an expensive, time-consuming undertaking. For this reason, model calibration is often not performed, or performed inadequately. The Genetic Algorithm Calibration tool significantly reduces the effort required for calibration and design optimization. This tool encourages the adoption of more thorough model development/verification protocols, and better design.