Experimental study on the inlet discharge capacity under different clogging conditions

Abstract

Storm drainage inlets transport urban runoff and discharge to underground sewer systems. If the inlet structure is blocked, the urban drainage system is hampered, leading to urban flooding. To quantitatively analyze the influence of clogging conditions on inlet discharge capacity, laboratory experiments were conducted to address the impact of different inlet clogging conditions on inlet discharge capacity under different upstream discharge conditions. These were based on a two-layer platform that mimicked a complete inlet structure including a drainage grate, a rainwater well, and a connecting pipe. The results show that the water flow near the inlet was similar to weir flow when the rainwater well was not full, whereas the water flow state near the inlet behaved similarly to orifice flow after becoming full. In addition, it was found that the clogging extent and position can significantly influence the comprehensive discharge capacity of the street inlet. The experimental dataset was used to calculate the inlet discharge coefficients of the weir and orifice flow states under different clogging conditions. The results are applicable to research addressing the formation mechanisms of urban floods. Additionally, this study is of practical significance for early warning systems and emergency response support during heavy rainfall.