Connecting Elements
When building your model, you must consider these rules of connectivity:The table below and the help topic Connectivity Rules for Storm and Sanitary Models’ describe which elements can be connected to one another. However, there are cases where even if the layout tool allows elements to be connected, they may not be able to be calculated depending on the solver. Some of those special cases are listed below. At run time or during validation, illegal connections for a set of elements in a solver will show up as User Notifications.
- A network needs at least one outfall or a pond to end the network. A lone outfall cannot be a "boundary element" type unless it’s draining into a pond.
- Cross section nodes need at least one channel connected to it and a channel needs at least one cross section.
- Gutters cannot be the only link exiting a catch basin, or the catch basin is considered hydraulically disconnected.
- In the GVF-convex solver, a pressure pipe cannot be downstream of a node that is fed from a gravity conduit.
- A pump can only be connected to a pressure pipe in the GVF-convex solver.
- Air valves and variable speed pump batteries can only be used with the GVF-convex solver.
- Low impact development control elements can only be used with SWMM hydrology and have special rules for connectivity which can be found in
Element Connectivity
| Element | Permissible Upstream Elements | Permissible Downstream Elements |
|---|---|---|
| Catchment | Catchment | Catch basin, manhole, cross section, transition, outfall, wet well, pond |
| Manhole | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure, catchment Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump |
| Catch basin | Via a gutter: Catch basin, cross section, outfall Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure, catchment Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump | Via a gutter: Catch basin, cross section, outfall Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump |
| Cross section | Via a gutter: Catch basin Via a channel: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, wet well, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure, catchment Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump | Via a gutter: Catch basin Via a channel: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, wet well, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump |
| Junction chamber | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: None Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure, catchment Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: None Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump |
| Pressure junction | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: None Via a conduit: None Via a pressure pipe: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, pressure junction, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: None Via a conduit: None Via a pressure pipe: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, pressure junction, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure |
| Wet well | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure, catchment Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump |
| Pump | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: None Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, pressure junction, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: None Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, pressure junction, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure |
| Outfall | Via a gutter: Catch basin Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, pond outlet structure, catchment Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump | Via a gutter: Catch basin Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction, pump When the Boundary Condition Type is set to Boundary Element, the flow coming into the outfall can be discharged to a pond, cross section, manhole, or catch basin |
| Pond outlet structure | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction | Via a gutter: None Via a channel: Cross section Via a conduit: Manhole, catch basin, cross section, transition, wet well, pump, outfall, pond outlet structure Via a pressure pipe: Pressure junction |
| Pond | Outfall, catchment | Pond outlet structures, pump. Only outfalls can drain to a pond. The only way to drain from a pond is via a pond outlet structure. |
| Tap | Lateral | Referenced Link can be set to a Conduit. |