Comparison of HEC-RAS and MIKE 11

I am interested in the results of any comparative evaluations of HEC-RAS and MIKE11. Any information would be appreciated.

Gavin Palmer
palmerg@akcity.govt.nz

MIKE 11 is the complete dynamic wave model for open channels developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute. Its companion model is MOUSE, for closed conduits and urban hydrology. MIKE 11 is comparable to SWMM Extran, NWS DWOPER, HEC UNET, and the FEQ model. It is spendy (on the order of 25k), but with an excellent user interface and good experience world-wide, but not much in the U.S.

You can learn more about the model from the DHI Web site at:

www.dhi.dk

Wayne Huber
Oregon State University

Never heard of MIKE11, what is it?

Peter Crook
pcrook@iname.com

I think it's a European model (from Delft, in the Netherlands...?)

In response to Mr. Essyad's comments:

>A last remark (Irony of History) : The 2.x version of HEC-RAS will perform non- permanent analysis, and there is a new (optional) module in MIKE 11 to make permanent computations. The two will meet !

If he is referring to static (permanent) vs. time variant analysis, I'm afraid that HEC-RAS 2.x won't offer it...yet. I don't think we'll see HEC-RAS handling hydrographs until version 3 or 4. UNET will still be the Corps' program of choice for those capabilities. HEC-RAS ver. 2.x will offer many new options, however, such as channel improvements, split flows, etc. We vendors are awaiting its arrival with baited breath. We will all find out exactly what it's got when it's released in the next week or so.

Rick Van Bruggen, M.S., P.E.
Water Resources Consulting Services

I've worked a lot using simultanously HEC-RAS, MIKE-11, MIKE-11-GIS on several projects. Those two products are not running the same race :

HEC-RAS.

For me, HE-RAS is probably an terrific tool for an experimented hydraulician. It allows to simulate accurately complexes hydraulics phenomenums. Unfortunately., it cannot be easaly interfaced with data sources (geometry and discharge) and post processors (geographic representation).

For the moment, HEC-RAs solve only permanent problems, which is not a real limitation, except if you are studying the bangladesh delta.

MIKE-11

It's a modular an quasi- complete tools for studying, solving, managing and operating hydrographics systems. Using the same or shared data sources, you can study :

Hydrologics problems. The input (hydrogramms) of the hydrodynamic model can be obtained by the hydrologic module NAM. NAM is a continuous conceptual model, may be a little bit complex, but it can be very efficient, if you reduct the number of acting parameters.

Hydrodynamicals problems (flood propagations, detention storage, gates operations ...). The model can be looped.

Quality problems. Coupled with the inflow computations (NAM) and the hydrodynamic model (HD), the water quality can be modelized, and then studied on long term analysis.

Sediment transport : as above.

there is a lot of other modules dealing about biology, GIS interface, floopplain delimitation (not the best one) ...

The model can be interfaced with real time data and then be used as a very efficient forecasting tool. Coupled with gates or dams operatings system, it can be the heart of an automatic - semiautomatic flood control system.

So, if MIKE is not very popular outside Europa, it's an terrific tool, which justify his price. And it's only a piece of a collection of coherent modelisation tools :

MIKE 21 : 2D and 2D1/2 hydrodynamic problems
MIKE SHE : Complete watershed modelisation
MOUSE : urban drainage systems

But...
But..

MIKE 11 is not as accurate as HEC-RAS for modelling complex hydraulics problems, such as bridges, momentum gouverned junctions and so on ...

So, for large scaled problems, but gouverned by small scale details (a very common situation in flood plain studies) I use to compute the hydraulic comportementals hydraulics laws of bridges and others singularities with HEC-RAS, and inject thes laws as limits conditions in the complete MIKE 11 model for hydrodynamics simulations.

IN CONCLUSION.

HEC-RAS is, for me, the more accurate hydraulic 1D permanent model, MIKE-11is very much tan that, incredibly powerful, but needs a certain experience.

A last remark (Irony of History) : The 2.x version of HEC-RAS will perform non- permanent analysis, and there is a new (optionnal) module in MIKE 11 to make permanent computations. The two will meet !

> You can learn more about the model from the DHI Web site at:
>
> www.dhi.dk

A very nice site.

And sorry for my poor english !!!!!!
Khalid Essyad Ing. hydraulicien