Vulnerability Analysis of Urban Drainage Systems: Tree vs. Loop Networks

Chi Zhang, Yuntao Wang, Yu Li and Wei Ding
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Chi Zhang: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Yuntao Wang: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Yu Li: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Wei Ding: School of Hydraulic Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China

Sustainability, 2017, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Vulnerability analysis of urban drainage networks plays an important role in urban flood management. This study analyzes and compares the vulnerability of tree and loop systems under various rainfall events to structural failure represented by pipe blockage. Different pipe blockage scenarios, in which one of the pipes in an urban drainage network is assumed to be blocked individually, are constructed and their impacts on the network are simulated under different storm events. Furthermore, a vulnerability index is defined to measure the vulnerability of the drainage systems before and after the implementation of adaptation measures. The results obtained indicate that the tree systems have a relatively larger proportion of critical hydraulic pipes than the loop systems, thus the vulnerability of tree systems is substantially greater than that of the loop systems. Furthermore, the vulnerability index of tree systems is reduced after they are converted into a loop system with the implementation of adaptation measures. This paper provides an insight into the differences in the vulnerability of tree and loop systems, and provides more evidence for development of adaptation measures (e.g., tanks) to reduce urban flooding.

Keywords: drainage pipe network; flood management; pipe blockage; vulnerability; SWMM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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