Adaptation of Urban Drainage Networks to Climate Change for Sustainable Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Development

Abstract

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) systems lead to flood risks by altering land use and increasing impermeable surfaces. Existing drainage systems often fail to address the challenges of climate change, urban flooding, and sedimentation. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) designed for the UPM-Serdang MRT station in Malaysia, compared to pre- and post-MRT drainage systems. Hydrodynamic modelling was employed to simulate flood depth, extent, and sedimentation for several scenarios. The SuDS, integrating permeable pavement and bioretention facilities, achieved a flood risk score of 14%, significantly outperforming post-MRT (33%) and pre-MRT (54%) systems. It yielded a benefit–cost ratio of 3.03, surpassing the post-MRT (1.01) and pre-MRT (0.31) designs. The findings demonstrate how SuDS can mitigate floods up to a 200-year return period and reduce sedimentation. This study addresses the gap in MRT drainage research by introducing a novel framework that integrates hydrodynamic modeling, with engineering assessment and benefit–cost analysis to support sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure design.