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A Low-Return-Period Rainfall Intensity Formula for Estimating the Design Return Period of the Combined Interceptor Sewers

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Abstract

The design rainfall intensity and its return period of the combined interceptor sewer is an important factor affecting combined sewer overflow (CSO) occurrence. However, we often use the interceptor ratio (or interceptor multiple, n0) to design the interceptor sewer, and its equivalent design return period is often ignored. In this study, a low return period rainfall formula modeling method was proposed to estimate this return period. First, a new rainfall event separation approach was especially developed, and the minimum interevent time (MIET) was set to time of concentration of the tributary area corresponding to the most downstream interceptor well. Second, a new rainfall intensity sampling algorithm, annual multi—event—maxima (AMEM) sampling algorithm, was put forward. For this sampling algorithm, several maxima of rainfall intensity should be sampled annually, and only one maximum is sampled for each rainfall event. In addition, the empirical frequency values of the above sampled rainfall intensities can be obtained according to the mathematical expectation formula (Weibull formula). After comparison, the lognormal distribution was selected for the theoretical probability density function. Finally, parameters of the low return period rainfall intensity formula were estimated using three-parameter Horner formula and MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) algorithm. A case study was conducted to demonstrate the proposed method based on the recorded rainfall data from a meteorological station in southwestern China and a combined sewer system. Results revealed that: (1) A MIET determination method was proposed according to independence of CSO events. (2) An annual multi-event-maxima (AMEM) sampling was proposed for collecting samples of the low return period rainfall intensity. (3) For the case study, the best-fit distribution for low return period rainfall intensity was lognormal distribution. (4) Resulted low return period rainfall intensity formula was provided.

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Abbreviations

AMEM:

Annual multi-event-maxima

AMS:

The annual maxima sampling

CC:

Correlation coefficient

Cs :

Coefficient of skewness

CSO:

Combined sewer overflow

Cv :

Coefficient of variation

MCMC:

Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm

MIET:

The minimum interevent time

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Funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant No. 51008191].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, People’s Republic of China

    Xingpo Liu & Chenmeng Ouyang

  2. Center for Marine Environmental and Ecological Modelling, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, 201306, People’s Republic of China

    Xingpo Liu & Chenmeng Ouyang

  3. College of Architectural and Civil Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, People’s Republic of China

    Yuwen Zhou

Authors
  1. Xingpo Liu
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  2. Chenmeng Ouyang
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  3. Yuwen Zhou
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Contributions

Xingpo Liu designed the study, co-worte the the initial draft of the manuscript and made revisions to the draft. Chenmeng Ouyang performed the research and co-wrote the initial draft of the manuscript. Yuwen Zhou contributed to the revisions.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xingpo Liu.

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Liu, X., Ouyang, C. & Zhou, Y. A Low-Return-Period Rainfall Intensity Formula for Estimating the Design Return Period of the Combined Interceptor Sewers. Water Resour Manage 37, 289–304 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-022-03369-w

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