Lecture 5 - The Unit Hydrograph and The Rational Method-The Unit Hydrograph and The Rational Method
Lecture 5 - The Unit Hydrograph and The Rational Method-The Unit Hydrograph and The Rational Method
the unit hydrograph method is utilized to compute the direct runoff hydrograph at a
watershed outlet for the given rainfall excess produced by a storm event
the unit hydrograph method is widely used and is incorporated into a number of
computer models including HEC-HMS
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the basics
the unit hydrograph term is often abbreviated as UH, when a subscript is added it
refers to the duration of the rainfall excess for example, the direct runoff hydrograph
produced by a rainfall excess that has a duration of 3 hrs and a constant intensity of
1/3 in/hr is denoted UH3 (Here the depth of rainfall excess is 1 in = 1/3 in/hr * 3 hr)
if not gaged, several synthetic techniques of producing unit hydrographs exist that
allow unit hydrograph construction for ungaged sites, such hydrographs incorporate
various physical characteristics of the watershed
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the scs unit hydrograph method
we must note that the dimensionless hydrograph specifies neither the peak
discharge nor the timing of the peak discharge of a unit hydrograph, it does specify
the shape of the UH relative to the peak discharge and time to peak 06-87-471 Hydrology
THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the scs unit hydrograph method
this shape will represent the average shape of a large number of unit hydrographs
from watersheds of different characteristics
a dimensionless hydrograph can be converted to a unit hydrograph of the desired
duration if Qup and tp are known
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the scs unit hydrograph method
here Qup and tp are determined by equations developed out of the watershed
characteristics
tp = tR/2 + tL - [2]
where
A = peak flow (cfs/in), (m3/cm)
A = water shed area (mi2), (km2)
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the scs unit hydrograph method
if we want to develop the 10 min unit hydrograph (UH1/6) we would use tR = 1/6 hr
and the watershed’s time of concentration Tc to compute tp (equations [3] and [2])
combining this with the time to peak we could then compute the peak discharge,
Qup from [1]
tp = tR/2 + tL - [2]
tL = 0.6 Tc - [3]
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the scs unit hydrograph method
this can be achieved by multiplying the values of the vertical axis of the
dimensionless hydrograph by Qup and those on the horizontal by tp
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH the scs unit hydrograph method
it is further important for us to note that (strictly speaking) the SCS dimensionless
hydrograph method should be used only for tR= 0.2tp or tR = 0.133Tc, in practice
however the values can vary slightly under the constraints of tR <= 0.25tp or tR <=
0.17 Tc
the peak discharge, Qup, and its time of occurrence, tp can still be determined by
[1] and [2] respectively
TB = 2.67 tp - [4]
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH gamma function unit hydrograph method
the ordinates of the gamma function unit hydrograph are acquired from
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH gamma function unit hydrograph method
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH gamma function unit hydrograph method
the n and Pr relationship ensures that the hydrograph computed utilizing [5] and
[6] will correspond to a rainfall excess of unit depth it is also important to
appreciate that [2] and [3] can be used to still determine tL and tp respectively
tp = tR/2 + tL - [2]
tL = 0.6 Tc - [3]
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH application of the unit hydrograph method
the linear relationship between rainfall excess and direct runoff rates is the basis
of the unit hydrograph method assumption
this says that first, the base time of the direct runoff hydrograph resulting from a
rainfall excess of a given duration is constant regardless of the amount of rainfall
excess and second, that the ordinates of a direct runoff hydrograph resulting from a
rainfall excess of a given duration are directly proportional to the total amount of
rainfall excess
we can say this differently, that the base of the direct runoff hydrograph (DRH)
resulting from a rainfall excess of, for instance, 1.5 in produced over a 2 hr duration
is the same as that of 1.5 times a 2 hr unit hydrograph UH2
further, the ordinates of this DRH are 1.5 times the ordinates of the UH2 at
respective times
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH application of the unit hydrograph method
it can simply be stated that DRH = 1.5UH2 in this case and easily determine the
DRH if we know the UH2
the linearity assumption also allows the use of the principle of superposition to
compute the DRH resulting from composite rainfall excess hyetographs in which the
rate of rainfall excess is different during different time intervals
suppose the rainfall excess is produced at a constant rate of 0.75 in/hr during the
first 2 hr of a storm and at a rate of 0.25 in/hr for the next 2 hrs
then the depth of rainfall excess during the first 2 hrs is 0.75 in/hr * 2 hr = 1.5 in
however, since the second part of the rainfall excess is delayed 2 hrs with respect
to time zero, the resulting direct runoff will also be delayed thus the resulting
direct runoff hydrograph will be DRH = 1.5UH2 + 0.5UH2 (lagged 2 hrs)
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH application of the unit hydrograph method
EX:
REQD: determine the ordinates of the DRH that will result from the rainfall
excess shown the graphical figure following
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH application of the unit hydrograph method
EX:
SOLU: 1. we first determine the depth of the rainfall produced during the first,
second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth 10 min periods
so, between 0 and 10 min the depth is 0.6 in/hr * (1/6) hr = 0.1 in,
and between 10 and 20 min the depth is 1.2 in/hr * (1/6) hr = 0.2 in
it follows from here that the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth 10 min
periods accordingly have depths of 0.15, 0.10, 0.05, and 0.05 in
respectively
thus,
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THE UNIT HYDROGRAPH application of the unit hydrograph method
EX:
SOLU:
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THE RATIONAL METHOD introduction
perhaps the most widely known runoff-rainfall models is the rational method
the rational method perseveres due to its simplicity and its broad coverage in the
literature
the rational method is what is called a peak discharge design method, we must
here appreciate the difference between a design method and an evaluation
(analysis) method
further, due to the assumptions required, the rational formula is generally limited
to urban watersheds smaller than 200 acres
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THE RATIONAL METHOD introduction
in the rational method, the intensity of the design storm is assumed to remain
constant
it is further assumed that of all storms having the same return period, the one
whose duration is equal to the time of concentration would produce the largest peak
discharge
for this reason, in the rational method the design storm duration is set equal to the
time of concentration of the watershed
so now we appreciate if the storm duration is less than the t o c, this means that
the rain will cease prior to the maximum discharge being obtained
alternatively, if the storm duration is larger than the t o c, then equilibrium will be
reached, however, the equilibrium discharge will be smaller for the same return
period as the intensity corresponding to a longer storm duration is less than the one
corresponding to a duration equal to the t o c
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THE RATIONAL METHOD introduction to the procedure
the rational method procedure that is frequently applied to determine the design
discharge for a stormwater structure is summarized below
3. set the design storm duration equal to the t o c and determine the design storm
intensity form the IDF curves appropriate for the project site
Qp = C i A - [7]
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THE RATIONAL METHOD introduction to the procedure
Qp = C i A - [7]
here
i = rate of rainfall
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