Abstract
The development of urban drainage systems is challenged by rapid urbanization; however, little attention is paid to the urban form and its effects on these systems. This study develops an integrated city-drainage model that configures typical urban forms and their associated drainage infrastructures, specifically domestic wastewater and rainwater systems, to analyze the relationship between them. Three typical types of urban forms were investigated: the square, the star, and the strip. Virtual cities were designed first, with the corresponding drainage systems generated automatically and then linked to a model herein called the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Evaluation was based on 200 random configurations of wastewater/rainwater systems with different structures or attributes. The results show that urban forms play more important roles on three dimensions of performance, namely economic efficiency, effectiveness, and adaptability, of the rainwater systems than of the wastewater systems. Cost is positively correlated to the effectiveness of rainwater systems among the different urban forms, while adaptability is negatively correlated to the other two performance dimensions. Regardless of the form, it is difficult for a city to make its drainage systems simultaneously cost-effective, efficient, and adaptable based on the virtual cities we investigated. This study could inspire the urban planning of both built-up and to-be-built areas to become more sustainable with their drainage infrastructure by recognizing the pros and cons of different macroscale urban forms.
Highlights
China’s large-scale urbanization means rapid growth of urban drainage infrastructures; the length of urban drainage pipes in urban areas increased dramatically by an average of 19.2% per year from 2000 to 2016 [1]
Some of the studies cited above focusing on the urban form and its environmental effects were not based on empirical research on actual cities, but were based on either a spatially explicit theoretical model [33] or an artificial framework of the urban forms [34]
These two percentages are defined as capacity failure (Cf ) and velocity failure (Vf ) indicators, respectively
Summary
China’s large-scale urbanization means rapid growth of urban drainage infrastructures; the length of urban drainage pipes in urban areas increased dramatically by an average of 19.2% per year from 2000 to 2016 [1]. The relationship between macroscale urban forms, namely the physical contour of the urban built area, and the atmospheric environment or its related carbon emission or energy consumption, is already widely researched Most of those studies focused on the form of a compact city, which is characterized by high residential density and mixed land use. Some of the studies cited above focusing on the urban form and its environmental effects were not based on empirical research on actual cities, but were based on either a spatially explicit theoretical model [33] or an artificial framework of the urban forms [34] This kind of theoretical or virtual approach may decouple results from location-specific characteristics and, may make it possible to analyze how different elements related to urban planning and population distribution affect the environment [33]. An evaluation and a comparison of the two drainage systems’ performance under different urban forms were conducted
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
