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Constrained scaling approach for design rainfall estimation

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Abstract

Rainfall depth (or intensity) of the same frequency should follow a non-decreasing relationship with rainfall duration. However, due to the use of finite samples and sampling error, rainfall frequency analysis could yield rainfall intensity (depth)–frequency (IDF, DDF) curves of different durations that might intersect among them. Results of this kind violate physical reality and it is more likely to occur when rainfall record length gets shorter. To ensure the compliance of the physical reality, this paper applied the scale-invariant approach, in conjunction with constrained regression analysis, to circumvent intersections in rainfall IDF or DDF curves. Rainfall data of various durations at rain gauge in Hong Kong are used to demonstrate the procedure. Numerical investigation indicates that the proposed procedure yields more reasonable results than those based on the conventional frequency analysis, especially when only a small sample of data are available.

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Acknowledgement

The research work described in this paper was supported by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology through HKUST620505 on “Investigating Issues in Rainfall Intensity-Duration and Time-Scale Relations in Hong Kong”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Hydrology and Water Resources, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Yue-Ping Xu

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China

    Yeou-Koung Tung

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  1. Yue-Ping Xu
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  2. Yeou-Koung Tung
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Correspondence to Yue-Ping Xu.

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Xu, YP., Tung, YK. Constrained scaling approach for design rainfall estimation. Stoch Environ Res Risk Assess 23, 697–705 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-008-0250-6

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