Sensitivity of Australian roof drainage structures to design rainfall variability and climatic change

Luke Verstraten; Conrad Wasko; Graham Ashford; Ashish Sharma

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106230

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Sensitivity of Australian roof drainage structures to design rainfall variability and climatic change

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Sensitivity of Australian roof drainage structures to design rainfall variability and climatic change

Luke Verstraten, Conrad Wasko, Graham Ashford and Ashish Sharma

Building and Environment, Vol.161, 106230

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106230

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Abstract

The main design determinant for small catchment hydraulic structures is rainfall intensity. Localised relationships between rainfall intensity, frequency and duration (IFD) are used to design each structure to a specified level of performance. However, limitations in rainfall observations introduce uncertainty in IFD values. Further, this uncertainty is compounded by changes in climatic conditions via anthropogenic forcing. Whether this is a cause for concern depends on the structure's sensitivity to deviations away from design rainfall values. Here, we investigate the ability of roof drainage systems to accommodate deviations in design rainfall. We assess the sensitivity of box gutter overflow designs across Australia to spatial variability in IFD values, and projections of IFD values due to climatic change. Different overflow designs were found to have markedly variable responses to rainfall intensity increases, from 13% to 406% before failure. Potential increases in rainfall intensity from spatial variability uncertainty varied from 2 to 54%. While rainfall projections for the 2090 decade ranged from -15 to +59%. Rainfall intensity increases as high as 259% were noted when both sources of uncertainty were combined for a temperature rise scenario of 5 °C. At the majority of locations coupled increases in rainfall intensity were primarily driven by existing rather than future uncertainties for a 2 °C temperature rise scenario. Considering design rainfall uncertainties in terms of design sensitivity shows that adapting to present and future uncertainties can come at no additional cost for some design options while other options need to be altered to reduce the risk of failure.

Details

Title: Sensitivity of Australian roof drainage structures to design rainfall variability and climatic change
Authors: Luke Verstraten (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science and Engineering
Conrad Wasko (Author) - University of New South Wales
Graham Ashford (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - School of Science and Engineering
Ashish Sharma (Author) - University of Melbourne
Publication details: Building and Environment, Vol.161, 106230
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106230
ISSN: 0360-1323
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering; School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; Sustainability Research Centre; USC Business School - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99451242402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Construction & Building Technology; Engineering, Civil; Engineering, Environmental

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