Journal of Hydroinformatics In Press, Uncorrected Proof © IWA Publishing 2012  |  doi:10.2166/hydro.2012.181

Modelling floods in urban areas and representation of buildings with a method based on adjusted conveyance and storage characteristics

Zoran Vojinovic, Solomon Seyoum, Mwanaisha H. Salum, Roland K. Price, Ahmad K. Fikri and Yared Abebe

Department for Hydroinformatics and Knowledge Management, UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2601 DA Delft, The Netherlands. E-mail: Z.Vojinovic@unesco-ihe.org

First received 24 November 2011; accepted in revised form 29 March 2012. Available online 5 June 2012

The present paper reviews several approaches that can be used in capturing urban features in coarse resolution 2D models and it demonstrates the effectiveness of a new approach against the straightforward 2D modelling approach on a hypothetical and a real-life case study work. The case study work addresses the use of coarse grid resolutions in 2D non-inertia models. The 2D non-inertia model used solves continuity and momentum equations over the cells of the coarse model while taking the minimum elevation as a surface level. The volume stored in every cell is calculated as a volume-depth relationship. In order to replicate restriction in conveyances in x–y directions of fine resolution models due to building blocks, the friction values of the coarse-resolution model are adjusted to match the results of the high-resolution model. The work presented in this paper shows the possibility of applying a 2D non-inertia model more effectively in urban flood modelling applications whilst still making use of the high resolution of topographic data that can nowadays be easily acquired.

Keywords: 2D models; flood modelling; spatial resolution; topography; urban areas

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