Loading Networks

How to load a Civil 3D pipe network into HydraStorm for hydraulic analysis.

Network Selector

The dropdown in the toolbar lists all pipe networks in the current drawing. Select a network from the dropdown to load it into HydraStorm.

Re-reading the Drawing

HydraStorm re-reads the drawing each time a network is selected. After creating or modifying pipe networks in Civil 3D, re-select the network from the Network dropdown to pick up the changes.

What Gets Read

When you load a network, HydraStorm reads the following data from Civil 3D:

• Pipe geometry: start/end structures, invert elevations, length, inner diameter/width
• Pipe properties: shape (circular/box), part family, Manning's n
• Structure properties: rim elevation, sump depth, part description
• Alignment assignments
• Structure locations (coordinates, used for spatial matching in HydraLink mode)

Identity Tracking

HydraStorm tracks Civil 3D objects by their persistent handle (C3dHandle), which survives across sessions. This means your HydraStorm project file (.hsp) stays linked to the correct objects even after saving and reopening the drawing.

Multiple Networks

Each drawing can contain multiple pipe networks. HydraStorm works with one network at a time. To switch networks, select a different network from the dropdown.

Disconnected Sub-Networks

HydraStorm handles pipe networks that contain disconnected branches. Each sub-network is calculated independently and requires its own downstream boundary condition (normal depth, user-specified elevation, or (Dc + D) / 2).