Predicting Stormwater Retention Capacity of Green Roofs: An Experimental Study of the Roles of Climate, Substrate Soil Moisture, and Drainage Layer Properties

Antonia Longobardi, Roberta D’Ambrosio and Mirka Mobilia
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Antonia Longobardi: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano SA, Italy
Roberta D’Ambrosio: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano SA, Italy
Mirka Mobilia: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano SA, Italy

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 24, 1-14

Abstract: Due to the ever-increasing degree of urbanization, blue and green infrastructures are becoming important tools for achieving stormwater management sustainability in urban areas. Concerning green roofs, although scientists have investigated their behaviors under different climates and building practices, their hydrological performance is still a thought-provoking field of research. An event scale analysis based on thirty-five rainfall–runoff events recorded at a new set of experimental green roofs located in Southern Italy has been performed with the aim of identifying the relative roles of climate, substrate moisture conditions, and building practices on retention properties. The retention coefficient showed a wide range of variability, which could not be captured by neither simple nor multiple linear regression analysis, relating the latter to rainfall characteristics and substrate soil water content. Significant improvements in the prediction of the retention coefficient were obtained by a preliminary identification of groups of rainfall–runoff events, based on substrate soil water content thresholds. Within each group, a primary role is played by rainfall. At the experimental site, building practices, particularly those concerning the drainage layer properties, appeared to affect the retention properties only for specific event types.

Keywords: sustainability; hydrological risk; stormwater management; green infrastructures; green roofs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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