Review of the hydraulic capacity of urban grate inlet: a global and Latin American perspective

Abstract

The most recent numerical models of urban drainage allow the integration of runoff from roads with the network of sewer pipes, thus evolving towards a holistic version of the system. A fundamental part of this integration is the capture of stormwater in urban drain inlets. These studies have recently increased, resulting in different methodologies to represent the uptake process and making it difficult to apply unified or general formulations. Therefore, this document intends to be a review of the most representative experimental and numerical studies on the capture of rainwater through grates. In addition, the review includes the proposed methodologies for estimating the flow captured by urban storm drains to define a starting point for new and complementary studies to be carried out by researchers, manufacturers, and operators involved in public drainage service systems. Particularly in Latin America, research on the subject is limited even though it is a highly urbanized region. In this context, this document has an additional interest in presenting a particular analysis of the concept of urban drainage in Latin American cities.

The Relevance of Grated Inlets within Surface Drainage Systems in the Field of Urban Flood Resilience. A Review of Several Experimental and Numerical Simulation Approaches

“…The flow captured by an inlet can be described by means of the predominant physical phenomenon [58]. For low overland flow, the entry of water into the inlet presents free discharge conditions and can be approached by the weir-type formulation, while, for high overland flows, the discharge bumps up against or splashes above the grate bars, partially or totally covering the area of the grate, and the process can be described by an orifice-type formulation.…”

“…For low overland flow, the entry of water into the inlet presents free discharge conditions and can be approached by the weir-type formulation, while, for high overland flows, the discharge bumps up against or splashes above the grate bars, partially or totally covering the area of the grate, and the process can be described by an orifice-type formulation. Traditional weir and orifice equations are generally used in urban stormwater 1D-2D coupled models [7] and depend on flow conditions in the nearness of the grate [58]. In a recent study, Rubinato et al [38] focused on circular inlets with different grate designs under subcritical flow conditions, in order to obtain discharge coefficients adopting both orifice and weir approaches.…”

“…Three-dimensional numerical models can be used to represent the behavior of complex hydraulic phenomena [58]. In the last two decades, this kind of computational engine has been increasingly used to validate and complement laboratory and field experiences in the field of urban drainage and, in particular, to characterize the hydraulic behavior of surface drainage systems [60][61][62].…”

“…In the last two decades, this kind of computational engine has been increasingly used to validate and complement laboratory and field experiences in the field of urban drainage and, in particular, to characterize the hydraulic behavior of surface drainage systems [60][61][62]. A comprehensive collection of these studies has been recently proposed by Cardenas et al [58].…”

A Review of Current Design and Construction Practice for Road Kerbs and a Sustainability Analysis

“…The use of kerbs was first discovered in the city of Pompeii, Italy, which was buried under volcanic ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 [1,2]. The main functions of kerb are to provide structural support to the edges of the roads [3] and channel rainwater away [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. By providing effective drainage, it can reduce cracking and other surface and structural defects and effectively increase the service life of a pavement.…”