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Developing a Sustainable Strategy for Urban Drainage. Supervised by: _Pr Cedo Maksimovic (UWRG, Imperial College) _Pr David Balmforth (Technical Director, MWH). Motivations (1). Pluvial floods are a natural phenomenon and a component of the hydrological cycle.
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Developing a Sustainable Strategy for Urban Drainage Supervised by: _Pr CedoMaksimovic (UWRG, Imperial College) _Pr David Balmforth (Technical Director, MWH)
Motivations (1) • Pluvial floods are a natural phenomenon and a component of the hydrological cycle. • However, many recent factors have made human lives more exposed to stronger floods: • urbanisation and its effects on storm hydrograph • increased run-off volume • increased peak flow • shorter time to peak • increased urban population number and density • climate change (which can decrease return period of storms)
Motivations (2) • Urban storm water is typically carried away through storm sewers and eventually discharged into a large water body (river, lake, ocean etc.) • However, and owing to the above factors, urban storm sewers are more and more overwhelmed during flood events. • The resulting flooding has many adverse consequences on human lives: • injuries and casualties • physical damage • health issues (e.g. water born diseases ) • economic repercussions
Objectives (1) • Consider the urban storm sewers as part of a bigger system: the urban drainage system that would be composed of: • storm sewers (either separate or combined) • water courses (natural/artificial, covered/uncovered) • surface run-off (through streets, highways, open spaces) • source control (local disposal, inlet control and on-site storage) • The traditional approach to floods management is to focus investments on the first component. • However, water courses, planned surface run-off and source control can be very efficient in disposing of storm flow.
Objectives (2) • The main objective is to estimate the maximum conceivable flow each component can possibly carry and to propose a strategy for flood management combining them. • The strategy must be: • sustainable, which includes being: • Environmentally suitable • Socially acceptable • Affordable • cost-effective • adapted to the impacts of climate change • Strategies focusing on suitable construction solutions could also be considered to reduce physical and human damage (receptor protection).
Method • Based on the use of Infoworks CS, urban drainage simulation software • The strategy will be developed and tested using three modelled catchments: • a steep-sloped catchment • a mild-sloped catchment • a flat catchment • The software (with training) and the data for each case will be provided by MWH.
Conclusions • Subject of significant importance globally. • Very interesting and challenging question. • Offers the opportunity of a collaboration between actors from the academic and consultancy sectors. Any Questions?