WMS:Rational Method Computing Hydrographs

From XMS Wiki
Revision as of 15:31, 11 December 2017 by Jcreer (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigationJump to search
Rational Method Hydrographs dialog

The Rational Method equation is designed to compute peak flows. However, a hydrograph, based on the peak flow and basin (or outlet) time of concentration, can be computed using one of five different unit hydrographs. Furthermore, there are two different methods (traditional and route by summing) hydrographs can be computed at confluence points.

The Rational Method Hydrographs dialog is used to specify the dimensionless unit hydrograph method, and the way hydrographs at outlets are computed. The dialog can be accessed through the Rational Method dialog. Options include:

Rational Hydrograph

The Rational Unit Hydrograph has a time to peak equal to the time of concentration. Both the rising and receding limbs of the hydrograph have a duration equal to the time of concentration, and therefore the shape of the hydrograph is an isosceles triangle with a time base of 2tc as shown below. This method is chosen by specifying the Modified Hydrograph Method using 1.0 for the recession limb coefficient and tc for the storm duration.

RationalHydrograph1.png

Modified Rational Hydrograph

The Modified Rational Hydrograph also assumes that the time to peak is equal to the tc, but allows for the duration of the storm to be longer than tc, resulting in a trapezoidal shaped hydrograph as shown below. A coefficient to modify the slope of the receding limb may also be applied with this method.

ModifiedRationalHydrograph.png
where:
  • tc = Time of concentration.
  • Q = Flow at time , in cfs.
  • Qp = Peak flow.
  • r = Falling limb coefficient
  • sd = Storm duration


Related Topics