Experimental surface runoff hydrographs from linear impervious subcatchments for rainfalls of extremely high intensity

Abstract

This study focuses on lab-scale experimental runoff hydrographs from a linear completely impervious plane subcatchment. An improved method of surface runoff physical modelling was developed, allowing for expanded laboratory hydrograph simulations up to a linear scale of 10. Model rains of different intensities and durations were applied, and digital online data processing techniques were employed to ensure high time resolution and accurate flow rate determination. The experimental hydrographs were analyzed in a dimensionless form to facilitate generalization and comparison with widely used nonlinear reservoir method and unit hydrograph method. Wave-like fluctuations of the flow rate were observed in most experimental hydrographs as they approached the maximum runoff. The dimensionless phase time of the experimental hydrographs showed an increasing trend with higher rainfall intensity, and a power-law equation was derived to approximate this relationship. An averaged dimensionless runoff hydrograph was obtained by processing individual hydrographs, and it was approximated by the DR-Hill-Zerobackground model for the initial stage during the rainfall and by the Weibull model for the later stage, after the rainfall stopped. The findings of this study have significant implications for modelling surface runoff from small urban subcatchments, particularly under critical rainfall events with extremely high intensity.