The ASCE Orange County Branch EWRI February 2015 Luncheon was a presentation on the use of 3D animation to convey advanced hydraulic modeling results.

1. Using 3D-Hybrid Animation of XPSWMM Results
as a Tool to Educate Stakeholders and
Communities on Flood Hazards
ASCE Orange County EWRI February 2015 Luncheon

2. “Public Awareness”
 Flood Hazards
• Storm Flooding
• Sea Level Rise
• Levee Breach
• Dam Break
• Tsunami
 Funding Sources
• Stakeholders
• Policy Makers
• General Public (Voters)

3. Typical Approaches to Communicate
Technical Results
 Text Tables
 Output Files
 Color Exhibits

4. Communication Hurdles (LWV)
 Gaining Trust.
 If they don’t understand it, they
won’t buy it.
 “Voodoo”
 Varying levels of knowledge.
 Consultant Curse.

5. Planning
 Understand Audience & Target Message
 Model Validation
 Graphical Result Representation (1d, 2d, 3d?)
 Visualization

6. City of Redlands MPD
 Issue: Recurring floods in the downtown area.
 Project: Identify causes and alternatives to mitigate
flood hazards.
 Focus:
1. To get City Council Approval to put DIF increase on ballot.
2. Educate public and stakeholders of issues and mitigation.

7. FEMA Floodplain
Originally Planned Diversion

9. Drainage Area Map

10. Regional Drainage Issues
Downtown
Redlands, CA

11. Main Flooding Issue
Mission Zanja (Q100 = 4,124 cfs)
Reservoir Cnyn (Q100 = 4,008 cfs)

12. Main Flooding Issue
Mission Zanja (Q100 = 4,124 cfs)
Reservoir Cnyn (Q100 = 4,008 cfs)
RC Recently
Improved
Zanja - Focus of Past
Studies

13. XPSWMM
Model Development
 Linked 1D/2D Model
 All SDs Tributary to Downtown

14. XPSWMM
Model Development
 2D Grid Size = 6’x6’ (1.6 sq. Miles)
 Total # of Grid Cells = 1.3M

15. XPSWMM
Model Development
 100-year/24-hour Design Storm
• Hydrographs
 Boundary Conditions
 Manning’s “n” (Bed Resistance)
• Account for buildings/obstructions
 Rating Curves/Links to Subsurface

16. Maximum WSE 100-YR (2D)

17. 1976 Storm Comparisons

18. 1976 Storm Comparison

19. New Proposed Downtown Bypass

20. Animation Process
 Create and Run XPSWMM 1D/2D Model
 Refine Surface in 3rd Party Software
 Import Data into Animation Software
 Isolate Scenes -“Hotspots”

21. Results
 Clear Identification of Flood Hazards.
 Isolation of Local “Hotspots” using focused Scenes.
 Council Adopted MPD (After 3D Animation).
 Council Approved DIF Ballot Measure (After 3D).
 Special Interest Groups On Board.
 Eliminated Outside Questions Regarding Study.

22. World Trade Center Flood Resiliency Study

23. Hurricane Sandy

24. Sandy Stats
 Category 1 Hurricane
 Storm Surge NY: 9.5’
 Approx. 100-yr SS

29. Project Scope (BPS)
 Surface Model (Detailed 2D)
• 100-yr (+SLR)
• XP 2D
 Subsurface Model
• Linked Subsurface
• 6 Subfloors
• XPSWMM 1D

30. Bollard Protection System

31. Surface Model
 ADCIRC Coastal 2D
Model
• 10m x 10m cells
 XPSWMM Model
• Detailed Surface TIN
• 5’ x 5’ cells
• 3 Inflow Boundaries

32. Surface Modeling Results
 Depth & Maximum WSE
 Maximum Velocity (BPS)
• Vectors
• Magnitude
 2D Animation Issues
• Image Distortion
- Difficult to lay over DTM
- Buildings out of line

33. Animation Process
 Surface 3D Model
• Civil3D
• SketchUp
• VR-Design Studio
 Subsurface Model
• Form Z
• SketchUp
• Electric Image
Animation System

34. Project Results
 Velocities at Proposed BPS Identified.
 Multiple Stakeholder Awareness.
 Wall Breach Analyses.
 Emergency Escape Routes Identified.
 Critical Rooms & Critical Flow Paths

35. What We Learned In All Projects
 Conveying Complex Calculation Results
• Visualization Increases Understanding.
• Understanding Gains Confidence in Model Results.
• Confidence Allows:
- Stakeholders to Make Decisions; and
- Policy Makers to Convey Message to Public.
• Helps Public Understand Issues

36. Questions?