RATIONAL METHOD (1)

One of the most used method for estimating the peak flow Qmax for small basin is the
rational method.
Some assumption have to be made:
• Rainfall intensity j is the same over the entire drainage area S
• Rainfall intensity j is uniform over the time duration of the event 1
• The runoff coefficient ϕ is the same for all storms of all recurrence probabilities

The frequency of computed peak flow Qmax is the same of the rainfall
intensity j, i.e., rainfall of a given Tr produces a peak flow with the same Tr

N.B.= This method gives good results for small mountain basin.

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 THEORETICAL MODEL: NASH METHOD (1)
It is a flood lumped model Useful for small basin to model extreme event

For Nash, the basin runoff is simulated by a series of linear tanks, by assuming the total
rainfall volume V0 is the instantaneous input for the first reservoir.

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 THEORETICAL MODEL: NASH METHOD (2)
The continuity equation in the tank is:

𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑
𝑄𝑄𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 − 𝑄𝑄𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 = = 𝑘𝑘
𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑

The outlet flow from the n-th tank is:

𝑉𝑉0 � 𝑒𝑒 −𝑡𝑡⁄𝑘𝑘 𝑡𝑡 𝑛𝑛−1

𝑄𝑄𝑛𝑛 (𝑡𝑡) =
𝑘𝑘 � 𝑛𝑛 − 1 ! 𝑘𝑘

𝑉𝑉0 � 𝑒𝑒 −𝑡𝑡⁄𝑘𝑘 𝑡𝑡 𝑛𝑛−1

𝑛𝑛 ∈ ℛ 𝑄𝑄𝑛𝑛 (𝑡𝑡) =
𝑘𝑘 � Γ(𝑛𝑛) 𝑘𝑘

We can define the UH as:

1 𝑒𝑒 −𝑡𝑡⁄𝑘𝑘 𝑡𝑡 𝑛𝑛−1
𝐹𝐹(𝑡𝑡) =
𝑘𝑘 Γ(𝑛𝑛) 𝑘𝑘

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CONVOLUTION AND NASH EXAMPLE

4
 CONVOLUTION AND NASH EXAMPLE
𝑖𝑖Δ𝑡𝑡 𝑛𝑛−1
𝑡𝑡 𝑚𝑚 −
𝑒𝑒 𝑘𝑘 𝑖𝑖∆𝑡𝑡
𝑄𝑄(𝑡𝑡) = 𝑆𝑆 � 𝐹𝐹 𝑡𝑡 � 𝑗𝑗 𝑡𝑡 − 𝜏𝜏 𝑑𝑑𝜏𝜏 𝑄𝑄(𝑚𝑚∆𝑡𝑡) = 𝑆𝑆 � 𝑗𝑗𝑚𝑚−𝑖𝑖+1 ∆𝑡𝑡
0 𝑘𝑘Γ(𝑛𝑛) 𝑘𝑘
𝑖𝑖=1
−𝑡𝑡⁄𝑘𝑘 𝑛𝑛−1
𝑒𝑒 𝑡𝑡
𝐹𝐹(𝑡𝑡) =
𝑘𝑘Γ(𝑛𝑛) 𝑘𝑘
F

For a positive integer n, Γ(n) is

Γ 𝑛𝑛 = 𝑛𝑛 − 1 !

For any positive real x>2, Γ(x) can be

calculated by means of the recursive
formula
Γ 𝑥𝑥 + 1 = 𝑥𝑥 Γ(𝑥𝑥)

As an example:
Γ 3.35 = 2.35 � 1.35 � Γ(1.35)

In the TABLE OF GAMMA FUNCTION Γ(x)

values for 1<x<2 are provided

parameters n=3.13, k=1.41

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 CONVOLUTION AND NASH EXAMPLE
𝑖𝑖Δ𝑡𝑡 𝑛𝑛−1
𝑡𝑡 𝑚𝑚 −
𝑒𝑒 𝑘𝑘 𝑖𝑖∆𝑡𝑡
𝑄𝑄(𝑡𝑡) = 𝑆𝑆 � 𝐹𝐹 𝑡𝑡 � 𝑗𝑗 𝑡𝑡 − 𝜏𝜏 𝑑𝑑𝜏𝜏 𝑄𝑄(𝑚𝑚∆𝑡𝑡) = 𝑆𝑆 � 𝑗𝑗𝑚𝑚−𝑖𝑖+1 ∆𝑡𝑡
0 𝑘𝑘Γ(𝑛𝑛) 𝑘𝑘
𝑖𝑖=1
−𝑡𝑡⁄𝑘𝑘 𝑛𝑛−1
𝑒𝑒 𝑡𝑡
𝐹𝐹(𝑡𝑡) =
𝑘𝑘Γ(𝑛𝑛) 𝑘𝑘
F

For a positive integer n, Γ(n) is

Γ 𝑛𝑛 = 𝑛𝑛 − 1 !

For any positive real x>2, Γ(x) can be

calculated by means of the recursive
formula
Γ 𝑥𝑥 + 1 = 𝑥𝑥 Γ(𝑥𝑥)

As an example:
Γ 3.35 = 2.35 � 1.35 � Γ(1.35)

In the TABLE OF GAMMA FUNCTION Γ(x)

values for 1<x<2 are provided

parameters n=3.13, k=1.41

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CONVOLUTION AND NASH EXAMPLE

n=3.13, k=1.41
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 UNIFORM FLOW IN COMPOSITE SECTION
Regular shape and different values of Ks

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 PERMANENT FLOW – NO LATERAL IN-OUT FLOW
RIVERBED CYLINDRICAL OR PRISMATIC

Integration for divided differences