Green infrastructure layout based on a dynamic operation feature of drainage systems

Abstract

Increasingly frequent urban floods strain the traditional grey infrastructure, overwhelming the capacity of drainage networks and causing challenges in managing stormwater. The heavy precipitation leads to flooding and damage to drainage systems. Consequently, efficient mitigation strategies for flooding have been researched deeply. Green infrastructure (GI) has proved to be effective in responding the increasing risk of flood and alleviate pressure on drainage systems. However, as the primary infrastructure of stormwater management, there is still a lack of attention to the dynamic operation feature of urban sewer systems during precipitation events. To fill this gap, we proposed a novel approach that integrates hydraulic characteristics and the topological structure of a sewer network system. This approach aims to identify influential nodes, which contribute to the connectivity of the sewer network amidst dynamic changes in inflow during precipitation events. Furthermore, we adopted rain barrels to serve as exemplars of GI, and 14 GI layout schemes are produced based on the different ranks of influential nodes. Implementing GI measures on both poorly performing and well-performing nodes can yield distinct benefits in mitigating node flooding. This approach provides a new perspective for stormwater management, establishing effective synergy between GI and the drainage system.