Urban Stormwater Drainage Research Articles

Evaluating Urban Stormwater Drainage Using GIS and RS Techniques—A Case Study in Dhaka, Bangladesh

A method is described, integrating Geographical Information System (GIS) functions, remotely sensed images and hydrologic data, to assess the impact of urbanisation on stormwater runoff and drainage. A sample area is selected in the western part of Dhaka City. First, the urbanization trend of Dhaka was assessed, using multitemporal aerial photographs and satellite images. By combining a spaceborne panchromatic image, the digital terrain model (DTM) and reported hydrological data, an assessment was made of the areal extent of the inundations by stormwater runoff within a specific urban drainage area. The DTM was then modified to accommodate expected urbanization trends and conditions. An assessment was then made of the areal spreading and inundation by the floodwaters, illustrating the impacts of future urbanization on urban storm water drainage.

Selection aid of alternative techniques in urban storm drainage - proposition of an expert system

The choice of BMPs in urban stormwater drainage is most often made with a poor understanding of site constraints, and of the possibilities afforded by these techniques. This leads to extra costs and malfunctioning. To reach feasible choices, we have formalised a decision-making process, taking into account multiple criteria and the large number of partners involved in that kind of process. We have then developed a decision-aiding procedure split up into two phases: an elimination phase permits us to exclude solutions which are identified as unworkable according to site considerations and a decision phase which allows the decision makers to compare and at least to choose a scenario built up with feasible solutions. This paper more particularly deals with the first phase. This elimination phase, which is suitable for an expert system type of representation, has been implemented using a software called DELTANOE constructed for operational design issues but also for pedagogic purposes including conception, realisation, maintenance and management recommendations as well as sketches and photo examples. After presenting the context and basic principles of the elimination phase, we present the way the associated tool has been constructed and validated.

Selection aid of alternative techniques in urban storm drainage — Proposition of an expert system

The choice of BMPs in urban stormwater drainage is most often made with a poor understanding of site constraints, and of the possibilities afforded by these techniques. This leads to extra costs and malfunctioning. To reach feasible choices, we have formalised a decision-making process, taking into account multiple criteria and the large number of partners involved in that kind of process. We have then developed a decision-aiding procedure split up into two phases: an elimination phase permits us to exclude solutions which are identified as unworkable according to site considerations and a decision phase which allows the decision makers to compare and at least to choose a scenario built up with feasible solutions. This paper more particularly deals with the first phase. This elimination phase, which is suitable for an expert system type of representation, has been implemented using a software called DELTANOE constructed for operational design issues but also for pedagogic purposes including conception, realisation, maintenance and management recommendations as well as sketches and photo examples. After presenting the context and basic principles of the elimination phase, we present the way the associated tool has been constructed and validated.

Invariance of the design storm in a region under a rainfall climate change at mid-latitudes

The effect of climate change on severe storms is a topic of interest for water resources engineering and hydrometeorology. The question that arises is whether a climate change that increases the local rainfall, also implies an increase in severe storms intensity. In this paper the question is answered using statistical techniques with reference to a type of severe storm: The one that, each year, produces the annual maximum of daily rainfall. Time series of annual maximum of daily rainfall are used to calculate the design storm. The design storm is used in water resources for designing some types of hydraulic structures for flood control, or urban stormwater drainage. This research analyzes whether a climate change in the annual rainfall implies a climate change in the annual maximum of daily rainfall. Evidence is presented showing that these two types of time series have uncoupled evolution. The region of study is semi-arid, located in mid-latitudes, in central Argentina. A climate change in annual rainfall is detected at two sites. Annual rainfall has been increasing at a mean trend of 8 mm/year. However, the annual maximum of daily rainfall has shown a constant mean, at a 5% level of significance. The variance of the annual maximum of daily rainfall has remained constant. This result indicates that the design storm is invariant in a region of central Argentina where a strong climate change in annual rainfall is taking place. It also indicates that a rainfall climate change in a time scale, does not necessarily imply the existence of a similar climate change in embedded time scales.

Rainfall-runoff processes and modelling

Hydrological studies of rainfall-runoff processes provide the basis for estimating design flows for urban stormwater drainage systems which control floods and the transport of sediments and polluta...

Decision aids for alternative techniques in urban storm management

The choice of alternative techniques in urban stormwater drainage (infiltration and detention systems), in the course of a project, is most often made with a poor understanding of site constraints, and the possibilities afforded by these techniques. This gives rise to extra costs and also subsequent malfunctioning. To arrive at feasible choices, we have formalised the decision-making process, taking account of the multiple criteria and the large number of partners involved. At present, we are developing a decision-making tool for alternative techniques in urban stormwater management at the preliminary study stage. The first phase makes it possible to eliminate solutions which are unworkable (elimination phase). It is aimed at the designer. Work on the next phase (the decision-making phase), which is more complex, is in progress. It will make it possible, in collaboration with all the partners involved, to choose a stormwater drainage strategy which will best suit the objectives and the wishes of the partners. It uses multi-criteria methods.

Decision aids for alternative techniques in urban storm management

The choice of alternative techniques in urban stormwater drainage (infiltration and detention systems), in the course of a project, is most often made with a poor understanding of site constraints, and the possibilities afforded by these techniques. This gives rise to extra costs and also subsequent malfunctioning. To arrive at feasible choices, we have formalised the decision-making process, taking account of the multiple criteria and the large number of partners involved. At present, we are developing a decision-making tool for alternative techniques in urban stormwater management at the preliminary study stage. The first phase makes it possible to eliminate solutions which are unworkable (elimination phase). It is aimed at the designer. Work on the next phase (the decision-making phase), which is more complex, is in progress. It will make it possible, in collaboration with all the partners involved, to choose a stormwater drainage strategy which will best suit the objectives and the wishes of the partners. It uses multi-criteria methods.

Design of Urban Stormwater Drainage for Extreme Rainfall Events

It has been a great concern to minimize flood damage in the event of extreme rainfall beyond design level. In this paper, a structural method is presented with the concept that the urban drainage system must work properly to exclude stormwater in case of design rainfall events, while it should detain stormwater for a while to disperse inundation and reduce peak discharge into a receiving river in the event of extreme rainfall. To realize the concept, the hydrological effect of road detention and associated inlet structure are investigated.The hydraulic function of the inlet, which comprises three phases of outflow depending on the water stage in front of the inlet, is modeled and numerical simulations are carried out to see its hydrological effect. The results showed that transversal road slope, length and the inlet configuration influence the efficiency of the road detention, and that it reduces outflow to 1/3 of incoming flow. The synthetic effect of road detention on runoff reduction is also computed in a small urbanized watershed using a distributed flow routing model.

Sewer Runoff Simulation Model Considering Pressure-control Effect by Laterals in Urban Stormwater Drainage Systems

Sewer Runoff Simulation Model Considering Pressure-control Effect by Laterals in Urban Stormwater Drainage Systems

A stochastic model for forecasting storm water drainage patterns

A stochastic model has been developed for forecasting storm water drainage patterns. This stochastic model can be extremely useful in the design of urban storm water drainage systems. The model takes into consideration rainfall patterns during the past 50 years for the design of storm water drainage systems that can cope with the hydraulic loading offered by extreme rainfall events and flood events.

Urban Stormwater Drainage Planning and Environmental Design

Urban Stormwater Drainage Planning and Environmental Design

Role of phosphorus in eutrophication and diffuse source control

Many lakes and some streams and estuaries are showing signs of excessive fertilization due to the input of aquatic plant nutrients from man-associated sources. The key element often found limiting aquatic plant populations is phosphorus. The attempt to control phosphorus input to natural waters as the overall approach for controlling excessive fertilization is technically sound and economically feasible for many natural waters. However, a much better understanding of the relationship between the phosphorus input to a lake and the excessive growths of aquatic plants within the lake must be developed. This development will require a combined biological and chemical approach toward assessing the role of phosphorus in eutrophication for a specific water body. The biological approach will use tissue content, enzymatic and kinetic uptake analysis of phosphorus limitations as well as bioassays of phosphorus availability in order to determine the limiting nutrient for a body of water. The chemical aaproach will utilize amounts of each of the forms of phosphorus present in the lake and the rates of interchange of phosphorus between these various forms.There will be some waters where control of phosphorus from treatment of domestic waste water input and removal of phosphorus from detergents will not result in significant improvement in water quality. This is because these waters derive their phosphorus from diffuse sources, such as urban and rural stormwater drainage, the atmosphere, and ground waters. In these instances, it may be necessary to initiate in-lake control of phosphorus by the addition of alum or iron salts.

Urban stormwater drainage design (with particular reference to small catchments)

Abstract Introduction The design of stormwater drainage systems is a field in which both civil engineers and engineering surveyors participate, perhaps with about equal interests. The work of investigation and survey is performed variously by engineers and surveyors on the staffs of local councils and government departments, consulting engineers and private surveyors. Whereas there has been a steady flow of papers on the subject of urban stormwater drainage design from the engineering technical press during recent decades, it is observed that The Australian Surveyor has not included such an article for fifteen years.

Flood flows from catchments; With particular reference to urban stormwater drainage design

Abstract Stormwater drainage has been defined as “the means by which flooding is prevented” or in other words, the provision for the removal of water from the surface of the ground or from the soil before it has time to cause damage. Drainage design thus forms a small section of hydraulic engineering or the study of water in motion in so far as this is of direct importance in the problems of the engineer.