Calibration of urban stormwater drainage models using hydrograph modelling

Abstract

Use of mathematical models requires the estimation of model parameters, which is usually known as the calibration of the model. In general, parameter optimization is preferred in model calibration to the trial-and-error visual comparison of observed and modelled output responses, due to subjectivity and the time-consuming nature of the latter approach. An optimization procedure, called two-stage inner/outer optimization, is described in this paper, which can be used to estimate the model parameters of any urban stormwater drainage catchment modelled with any urban drainage computer modelling software. However, the ILSAX computer software was used in this study. The method is designed to provide the ‘best’ set of model parameters that consider several storm events simultaneously. Impervious area parameters are obtained from frequent ‘small’ storm events, while the pervious area parameters are obtained from less-frequent ‘large’ events. The Giralang catchment in Canberra (Australia) was used to demonstrate the method. Several ‘small’ and ‘large’ storm events of the catchment were considered in parameter optimization. Few other storm events, which were not used in model calibration, were used to validate the model parameters obtained from calibration. Results from both calibration and validation showed that the ‘best’ set of model parameters obtained for the catchment was able to produce hydrographs similar to the observed hydrographs. Pervious and impervious area parameters obtained from calibration agreed well with the information gathered from other sources such as aerial photographs and published literature.