PipeSoft© is a storm drain design software based on the procedures outlined in the FHWA HEC-22 Manual. The VA edition (PipeSoftVA© 2.0) includes special features to facilitate design of storm drain systems in the Commonwealth of Virginia and by the Virginia Department of Transportation [VDOT]. These include drainage design using VDOT’s Drainage Manual, current Virginia IDF curves based on the latest NOAA "Atlas 14" Rainfall Data and LD-229 print formats. PipeSoft© permits setting project databases in either English or Metric units.
The pipe design module consists of two folders for inputting design data and one folder for pipe analysis. The PIPE DATA folder enables selection of different pipe types and structure details at either end of the pipe. If, for the project, inlets are designed using InletSoft , the inlet database will become available for the pipe design. PipeSoft© permits design of circular, elliptical and rectangular pipes.
The FLOW DATA folder permits direct input of discharge or computation of discharge using the Rational Method. Sub-folders are provided for computing drainage areas, runoff coefficients, times of concentration and rainfall intensities. Previous pipes can be selected using pulldown lists. The user can invoke Intensity-Duration-Frequency [IDF] curves for any VA county to compute design discharge.
The PIPE ANALYSIS folder provides the results of analysis. Both individual pipe report and VDOT Std. LD-229 forms can be printed in MS Excel format.
PipeSoft© uses a tree building algorithm for identifying all the nodes in the pipe system to compute the Hydraulic Grade Line Analysis. As the outfall/end node and the known tail water elevation are input, PipeSoft© computes the losses in the system and prints out VDOT Std. Form LD-347 for the particular network of nodes in MS Excel.
PipeSoft© can analyze the discharge from the outfall of a storm drain system utilizing the USDA, HEC-14 and VDOT Drainage Manual Methods to determine the protection required. Outlet Protection reports can be printed.
The ability to store the pipe system as a project database, to rename, edit or delete individual pipes in the system and the user-friendly data entry make PipeSoft© an exceptional tool for designers.
