Urban Flood Simulation Using MODCEL—An Alternative Quasi-2D Conceptual Model

Marcelo Gomes Miguez,Aline Pires Veról,Matheus Martins De Sousa,Bruna Peres Battemarco,Giancarlo Gusmaroli,Osvaldo Moura Rezende

doi:10.3390/w9060445

Marcelo Gomes Miguez, Aline Pires Veról + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/w9060445

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Journal: Water	Publication Date: Jun 21, 2017
Citations: 49	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Ospedale di Livorno

Abstract

Urban flood modelling has been evolving in recent years, due to computational facilities as well as to the possibility of obtaining detailed terrain data. Flood control techniques have also been evolving to integrate both urban flood and urban planning issues. Land use control and flow generation concerns, as well as a set of possible distributed measures favouring storage and infiltration over the watershed, also gained importance in flood control projects, reinforcing the need to model the entire basin space. However, the use of 2D equations with highly detailed digital elevation models do not guarantee good results by their own. Urban geometry, including buildings shapes, walls, earth fills, and other structures may cause significant interference on flood paths. In this context, this paper presents an alternative urban flood model, focusing on the system behaviour and its conceptual interpretation. Urban Flood Cell Model-MODCEL is a hydrological-hydrodynamic model proposed to represent a complex flow network, with a set of relatively simple information, using average values to represent urban landscape through the flow-cell concept. In this work, to illustrate model capabilities, MODCEL is benchmarked in a test proposed by the British Environmental Agency. Then, its capability to represent storm drains is verified using measured data and a comparison with Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Finally, it is applied in a lowland area of the Venetian continental plains, representing floods in a complex setup at the city of Noale and in its surroundings.

Highlights

Urban floods are complex phenomena that usually require a mathematical model to support diagnosis and design procedures
Grid, without any further overland flow interpretations. Considering this initial picture, this paper aims to present the use of the Urban Flood Cell
The the drainage system tendstends to interact with problems produces produceslarge largeinundation inundationareas

Summary

Introduction

Urban floods are complex phenomena that usually require a mathematical model to support diagnosis and design procedures. The first mathematical flood flow models that were developed tended to focus mainly on the main flow paths or on the drainage network and its hydraulic structures In this early period, computational limitations imposed the use of one-dimensional (1D). In the 1960s, the first relevant mathematical model capable to describe two-dimensional flow patterns was proposed and implemented This model was constructed for the Mekong delta river area by Societé Grenobloise d'Etudes et Applications Hydrauliques (SOGREAH), in a work for UNESCO [9,37]. Distant dam zones were considered to be characterized by great flood plains, terrain topography, land use, presence of dykes, among other factors, so the shock waves could be considered to have suffered significant dissipation In this way, cells could represent distant flood plains

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