Water Resources Applications Software
Summary of WSPRO88
NAME
wspro88 - A computer model for Water-Surface PROfile computations
ABSTRACT
WSPRO computes water-surface profiles for subcritical, critical, or
supercritical flow as long as the flow can be reasonably classified
as one-dimensional, gradually-varied, steady flow. WSPRO can be
used to analyze: (1) open-channel flow; (2) flow through bridges;
(3) flow through culverts; (4) embankment overflow; and (5)
multiple-opening (two or more separate bridge and (or) culvert
structures) stream crossings. WSPRO is designated HY-7 in the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) hydraulics computer program
series. A primary objective in developing WSPRO was to provide
bridge designers with a highly flexible tool for analyses of
alternative bridge openings and (or) embankment configurations.
However, WSPRO is equally flexible and suitable for analyses of
existing stream crossings. Much of the model's flexibility can be
attributed to the data input scheme which, to a great extent, is
designed for unformatted, order-independent data. Additional
flexibility is provided by propagation of constant data and limited
capabilities for synthesizing cross sections. Also, many desirable
features from other models were incorporated into WSPRO. The type
and quantity of output is to a large extent user-specifiable. Thus
WSPRO is a very easy-to-use model, which is generally applicable to
water-surface profile analyses for highway design as well as for
problems related to flood plain mapping, flood insurance studies,
and estimating stage-discharge relationships.
METHOD
Open-channel computations use standard step-backwater computational
techniques.
Single-opening bridge backwater free-surface flow uses an energy-
balancing technique that uses a coefficient of discharge (which is a
function of flow characteristics and bridge geometry) and estimates
an effective flow length (which takes into account the conveyance
characteristics of both the bridge opening and the valley upstream
from the bridge).
Single-opening bridge backwater pressure flow uses orifice-type flow
equations as developed by the FHWA.
Flow through culverts use FHWA computational techniques of
regression equation for inlet control and energy balance for outlet
control.
Embankment (road) overflow uses broad-crested weir equation.
HISTORY
V060188 - FHWA/USGS official version for use on PC's and UNIX
workstations. WSPRO was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey
for the Federal Highway Administration, Offices of Research,
Development, and Technology.
Version 6/83 - E431 Step-backwater and floodway analysis program.
DATA REQUIREMENTS
Successful application of the model, data collection, and proper
interpretation of model output requires a reasonable level of
hydraulics expertise. Input data consists of coordinate data
defining the cross-sectional shape referenced to known vertical and
horizontal datums, roughness coefficients, flow lengths,
discharge(s), starting water-surface elevation(s), pier data, bridge
geometry data, subarea breakpoints, culvert geometry, and program-
control parameters. WSPRO has many built-in default values and
allows constant data propagation to minimize data coding
requirements, while allowing defaults to be overridden easily. The
initial boundary condition is either the water-surface elevation or
energy gradient at either end of the study reach for the specified
discharge. If it is not specified, WSPRO defaults to the water-
surface elevation for critical flow.
OUTPUT OPTIONS
WSPRO generates rather detailed output describing the processing of
the input data and the results of all profile computations. Tables
of cross-sectional properties and (or) velocity and conveyance
distribution are available optionally, except for road-grades and
culverts. Cross-section plots can be produced in line-printer
format. Tables of selected parameters can be defined by the user to
produce a specific output format. WSPRO has 55 computed parameters
that may be used to build a table. User-defined tables cannot be
generated for multiple-opening analyses.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
WSPRO is written in Fortran 77 with the following extensions: use
of the $ format descriptor and reference to compiler-dependent
system date and time routines. Generally, the program is easily
installed on most computer systems. The code has been used on UNIX-
based computers and DOS-based 386 or greater computers having a math
coprocessor and 1 mb of memory.
DOCUMENTATION
Shearman, J.O., 1990, HY-7 - User's manual for WSPRO - A computer
model for water surface profile computations: Federal Highway
Administration Report FHWA-IP-89-027, 177 p.
REFERENCES
Davidian, Jacob, 1984, Computation of water-surface profiles in open
channels: U.S. Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources
Investigations, book 3, chapter A15, 48 p.
Shearman, J.O., 1976, Computer applications for step-backwater and
floodway analysis: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report
76-499, 103 p.
Shearman, J.O., Kirby, W.H., Schneider, V.R., and Flippo, H.N.,
1986, Bridge waterways analysis model; research report: Federal
Highway Administration Report FHWA-RD-86-108, 112 p.
TRAINING
Surface-Water Hydraulic Analysis (SW2009TC), offered annually at the
USGS National Training Center.
Courses are offered periodically by Federal Highway Administration
and various state highway departments and universities.
CONTACTS
Operation and Distribution:
U.S. Geological Survey
Hydrologic Analysis Software Support Program
437 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
h2osoft@usgs.gov
Official versions of U.S. Geological Survey water-resources analysis
software are available for electronic retrieval via the World Wide
Web (WWW) at:
http://water.usgs.gov/software/
and via anonymous File Transfer Protocol (FTP) from:
water.usgs.gov (path: /pub/software).
The WWW page and anonymous FTP directory from which the WSPRO
software can be retrieved are, respectively:
http://water.usgs.gov/software/wspro.html
--and--
/pub/software/surface_water/wspro
WSPRO is also available with limited technical support for a nominal
fee from:
The Center for Microcomputers in Transportation (McTrans)
University of Florida
512 Weil Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 392-0378
SEE ALSO
branch(1) - One-dimensional Branch-network flow model
Cap(1) - Culvert Analysis Program
cgap(1) - Channel Geometry Analysis Program
sac(1) - Slope-Area Computation program
The URL for this page is: http://water.usgs.gov/cgi-bin/man_wrdapp?wspro88
Send questions or comments to h2osoft@usgs.gov