Mitigating Waterlogging in Old Urban Districts with InfoWorks ICM: Risk Assessment and Cost-Aware Grey-Green Retrofits

Yan Wang, Jin Lin (), Tao Ma, Hongwei Liu, Aimin Liao and Peng Liu
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Yan Wang: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China
Jin Lin: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China
Tao Ma: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China
Hongwei Liu: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China
Aimin Liao: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China
Peng Liu: Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210098, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-29

Abstract: Rapid urbanization and frequent extreme events have made urban flooding a growing threat to residents. This issue is acute in old urban districts, where extremely limited land resources, outdated standards and poor infrastructure have led to inadequate drainage and uneven pipe settlement, heightening flood risk. This study applies InfoWorks ICM Ultimate (version 21.0.284) to simulate flooding in a typical old urban district for six return periods. A risk assessment was carried out, flood causes were analyzed, and mitigation strategies were evaluated to reduce inundation and cost. Results show that all combined schemes outperform single-measure solutions. Among them, the green roof combined with pipe optimization scheme eliminated high-risk and medium-risk areas, while reducing low-risk areas by over 78.23%. It also lowered the ponding depth at key waterlogging points by 70%, significantly improving the flood risk profile. The permeable pavement combined with pipe optimization scheme achieved similar results, reducing low-risk areas by 77.42% and completely eliminating ponding at key locations, although at a 50.8% higher cost. This study underscores the unique contribution of cost-considered gray-green infrastructure retrofitting in old urban areas characterized by land scarcity and aging pipeline networks. It provides a quantitative basis and optimization strategies for refined modeling and multi-strategy management of urban waterlogging in such regions, offering valuable references for other cities facing similar challenges. The findings hold significant implications for urban flood control planning and hydrological research, serving as an important resource for urban planners engaged in flood risk management and researchers in urban hydrology and stormwater management.

Keywords: mitigating waterlogging; old urban district; risk assessment; cost-aware; grey-green retrofits; InfoWorks ICM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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