A simple 2-D inundation model for incorporating flood damage in urban drainage planning

• Published in: Hydrology and earth system sciences Vol. 15; no. 8; pp. 2747 - 2761
• Main Authors: Pathirana, A., Tsegaye, S., Gersonius, B., Vairavamoorthy, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Katlenburg-Lindau Copernicus GmbH 31.08.2011; Copernicus Publications
• ISSN: 1607-7938; 1027-5606; 1607-7938
• DOI: 10.5194/hess-15-2747-2011

An urban inundation model was developed and coupled with 1-D drainage network model (EPA-SWMM5). The objective was to achieve a 1-D/2-D coupled model that is simple and fast enough to be consistently used in planning stages of urban drainage projects. The 2-D inundation model is based on a non-standard simplification of the shallow water equation, lays between diffusion-wave and full dynamic models. Simplifications were made in the process representation and numerical solving mechanisms and a depth scaled Manning coefficient was introduced to achieve stability in the cell wetting-drying process. The 2-D model is coupled with SWMM for simulation of both network flow and surcharge induced inundation. The coupling is archived by mass transfer from the network system to the 2-D system. A damage calculation block is integrated within the model code for assessing flood damage costs in optimal planning of urban drainage networks. The model is stable in dealing with complex flow conditions, and cell wetting/drying processes, as demonstrated by a number of idealised experiments. The model application is demonstrated by applying to a case study in Brazil.