ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

CIVIL ENGINEERING FACULTY

Department of Civil Engineering
Hydrology
CRN: 22035
Experiment I
INSTRUCTOR
Prof Dr. İsmail Duranyıldız
Research Assistant
Şehriban Saçu

Prepared by
Efe Çiltaş– 010170225
Table of contents

Table of contents ............................................................................................................................. 1

List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 2

List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 3

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 4

2. Theorical Background ............................................................................................................. 4

2.1 Key Parameters ................................................................................................................ 4

2.2 Hydrograph....................................................................................................................... 5

2.3 Theory of Unit Hydrograph.............................................................................................. 5

3. Experimental Data and Procedure ........................................................................................... 6

3.1 Data .................................................................................................................................. 6

3.2 Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 6

4. Results and Calculations .......................................................................................................... 7

5. Conclusions and Discussion .................................................................................................. 16

6. References ............................................................................................................................. 17
List of Figures

Figure 1 Total Flow Hydrograph .................................................................................................... 8

Figure 2 Direct Flow Hydrograph................................................................................................... 9
Figure 3 UH 120 ............................................................................................................................. 9
Figure 4 Hyetograph ..................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 5 UH 480 ........................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 6 S-curve ............................................................................................................................ 14
Figure 7 UH 420 calculating with S-curve ................................................................................... 15
List of Tables

Table 1 Calculations for Hydrographs ............................................................................................ 7

Table 2 Runoff and Intensity Results.............................................................................................. 8
Table 3 UH 480 ............................................................................................................................. 10
Table 4 S-curve calculation .......................................................................................................... 12
Table 5 UH 420 calculation with S-curve..................................................................................... 14
1. Introduction
Water is the fundamental resource for all living beings. For protecting, analyzing, preventing the
world from water’s negative effects like flood and using the water in a more proper way;
precipitation and precipitation’s effect on discharges, soil should be evaluated. In Model Basin
and Hydrograph Experiment the model basin is exposed to artificial precipitation and its effects
are analyzed.

Hydrograph analysis is a graph showing the change in flow rate over time in a basin. If the model
basin’s soil, precipitation and air conditions are close to real basin there will be good discharges
results. With these results flood and drought periods, possible water cycle schemes of the of the
region can be determined. In this report the purpose is constituting hyetograph, total flow
hydrograph, direct flow hydrograph, unit hydrograph and S curve. With these results runoff, base
flows can be analyzed, discharge values can be calculated for determined time of rainfall, the
precipitation intensities and durations can be obtained for one unit height of runoff.

2. Theorical Background
2.1 Key Parameters

River Basin: The area of land from which all surface run-off flows through a sequence of streams,
rivers and, possibly, lakes into the sea at a single river mouth, estuary or delta.

Overland flow – runoff: Volume of water reaching the river from surface run off.

Base flow: Base flow is the sustained flow of a stream in the absence of direct runoff. It includes
natural and human-induced stream flows. Natural base flow is sustained largely by groundwater
discharges.

Transit time: It is the time taken for the superficial flow to reach the exit point from the furthest
point of the basin.

Hyetograph: Hyetograph is a plot of intensity of rainfall against the time interval it is usually
represented by a bar chart.
S-curve: A ‘S’ hydrograph is nothing but a hydrograph generated by a continuous effective rainfall
occurring at an uniform rate for an indefinite period. It is called ‘S’ hydrograph because the shape
of the hydrograph comes out like alphabet ‘S’ though slightly deformed.

2.2 Hydrograph

Hydrograph is a graph showing the change in flow rate over time in a basin.

Rising limb: The rising limb of the hydrograph, also known as concentration curve, reflects a
prolonged increase in discharge from a catchment area, typically in response to a rainfall event.

Peak discharge: the highest point on the hydrograph when the rate of discharge is greatest.

Recession Limb: The recession limb is when discharge decreases and the river’s level falls.

Lag time: the time interval from the maximum rainfall to the peak discharge.

2.3 Theory of Unit Hydrograph

Unit hydrograph is a direct runoff hydrograph resulting from one unit (one inch or one cm) of
constant intensity uniform rainfall occurring over the entire watershed.

The theory of unit hydrograph is based on certain assumptions.

The main assumptions are following:

• The effective rainfall is uniformly distributed over the entire drainage basin.
• The effective rainfall occurs uniformly within its specifier duration.
• The effective rainfalls of equal (unit) duration will produce hydrographs of direct runoff having
same or constant time base.
• The ordinates of the direct runoff hydrographs having same time base (i.e., hydrographs due to
effective rainfalls of different intensity but equal duration) are directly proportional to the total
amount of direct runoff given by each hydrograph. This important assumption is called principle
of linearity or proportionality or superposition.
• The hydrograph of runoff from a given drainage basin resulting, from a given pattern of rainfall
reflects all the combined physical characteristics of the basin. In other words, the hydrograph of
direct runoff resulting from a given pattern of effective rainfall will remain invariable irrespective
of its time of occurrence. This assumption is called principle of time invariance.

3. Experimental Data and Procedure

3.1 Data

Chamber Dimensions : 38 cm2

Basin Area : 10332 cm2

Timestep for Chamber Shift : 15 s

Excess Rainfall Duration : 120 s

3.2 Procedure

• A constant heavy rainfall was initiated from the pipes on the basin
• Water was transferred from the basin to the chambers that under the basin.
• The chamber was shifted every 15 seconds.
• After the flow into the 13th chamber, water heights in each chamber were recorded.
4. Results and Calculations
Time, water heights for each chamber and area of the chamber is given by the research assistant.
For each time interval water volume is calculated by multiplying chamber area and water height
at each chamber. Volume data shows the flow mass after the rainfall for each time interval.
Discharge (Q) values are calculated by volume to each time interval, 15 s. With the Q values total
flow hydrograph graph is obtained. In the beginning hydrograph starts with 0 but in the end its
value is 5.07 cm3/s. This value is base flow. Base flow for each time interval is obtained from total
flow hydrograph by drawing line from beginning 0 point to 5.07 in the end of the 270 seconds.
After calculating the base flow, by subtracting the base flow values from discharge values direct
runoff is calculated. For obtaining 120 seconds unit hydrograph first table 2 is checked. The mass
value is calculated by addition of all water volume values from table 1. This gives total rainfall
volume. Direct runoff height is calculated by dividing the total volume to basin area. This gives
the result in cm. For unit hydrograph the discharge data which maked 1mm height direct runoff is
used. So direct runoff for total flow hydrograph is transformed to the mm and it gives 4.2 mm.
Direct runoff is divided by 4.2 and for 120 second excess rainfall, 120 seconds unit hydrograph
(UH120) is obtained.

Table 1 Calculations for Hydrographs

Water height Water height at Base Direct

time Area Volume Q
at each each Flow Runoff UH120
(second) (cm2) (cm3) (cm3/s)
chamber(mm) chamber(cm) (cm3/s) (cm3/s)
0 0 0 38 0.0 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
15 2 0.2 38 7.6 0.51 0.28 0.23 0.05
30 38 3.8 38 144.4 9.63 0.56 9.06 2.16
45 49 4.9 38 186.2 12.41 0.84 11.57 2.75
60 68 6.8 38 258.4 17.23 1.13 16.10 3.83
75 82 8.2 38 311.6 20.77 1.41 19.37 4.61
90 93 9.3 38 353.4 23.56 1.69 21.87 5.20
105 100 10 38 380.0 25.33 1.97 23.36 5.56
120 105 10.5 38 399.0 26.60 2.25 24.35 5.79
135 101 10.1 38 383.8 25.59 2.53 23.05 5.48
150 95 9.5 38 361.0 24.07 2.81 21.25 5.06
165 78 7.8 38 296.4 19.76 3.10 16.66 3.96
180 70 7 38 266.0 17.73 3.38 14.36 3.41
195 59 5.9 38 224.2 14.95 3.66 11.29 2.69
 210 50 5 38 190.0 12.67 3.94 8.73 2.08
225 48 4.8 38 182.4 12.16 4.22 7.94 1.89
240 45 4.5 38 171.0 11.40 4.50 6.90 1.64
255 40 4 38 152.0 10.13 4.79 5.35 1.27
270 20 2 38 76.0 5.07 5.07 0.00 0.00

Table 2 Runoff and Intensity Results

Total
4343.40
volume(cm3)
Direct
0.420383
Runoff(cm)
Direct
4.203833
Runoff (mm)
Intensity
0.035032
(mm/s)
Basin Area
10332
(cm2)

In the experiment rainfall has a constant intensity. Direct runoff value which is 4.2 mm is divided
to 120 seconds which is rainfall duration. This equation gives the constant intensity of the rainfall
in the term of mm/s. With the intensity hyetograph can be drawn.

Total Flow Hydrograph

30.00

25.00

20.00
Q (cm3/s)

15.00

10.00

5.00

0.00
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Time (s)

Figure 1 Total Flow Hydrograph

 Direct Flow Hydrograph
30.00

25.00

20.00
Q (cm3/s)

15.00

10.00

5.00

0.00
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Time (s)

Figure 2 Direct Flow Hydrograph

UH 120
7.00

6.00

5.00
Q (cm3/s)

4.00

3.00

2.00

1.00

0.00
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Time (s)

Figure 3 UH 120
 Hyetograph
0.04
0.035

Intensity (i) (mm/s)

0.03
0.025
0.02
0.015
0.01
0.005
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Time (s)

Figure 4 Hyetograph

According to the last digit of student ID, “5”, 480 seconds unit hydrograph is obtained with
summation of 4 120 seconds unit hydrograph by shifting 120 seconds for each. Then total is
divided by 4 to obtain UH 480.

Table 3 UH 480

time
UH120 UH120* UH120** UH120*** UH480
(second) Total
0 0 0 0
15 0.054 0.054 0.013
30 2.156 2.156 0.539
45 2.752 2.752 0.688
60 3.830 3.830 0.958
75 4.607 4.607 1.152
90 5.203 5.203 1.301
105 5.558 5.558 1.389
120 5.792 0 5.792 1.448
135 5.484 0.054 5.537 1.384
150 5.055 2.156 7.211 1.803
165 3.964 2.752 6.716 1.679
180 3.415 3.830 7.245 1.811
195 2.685 4.607 7.292 1.823
210 2.076 5.203 7.278 1.820
225 1.888 5.558 7.446 1.861
240 1.640 5.792 0 7.432 1.858
255 1.272 5.484 0.054 6.810 1.702
270 0 5.055 2.156 7.211 1.803
285 3.964 2.752 6.716 1.679
300 3.415 3.830 7.245 1.811
315 2.685 4.607 7.292 1.823
330 2.076 5.203 7.278 1.820
345 1.888 5.558 7.446 1.861
360 1.640 5.792 0 7.432 1.858
375 1.272 5.484 0.054 6.810 1.702
390 0 5.055 2.156 7.211 1.803
405 3.964 2.752 6.716 1.679
420 3.415 3.830 7.245 1.811
435 2.685 4.607 7.292 1.823
450 2.076 5.203 7.278 1.820
465 1.888 5.558 7.446 1.861
480 1.640 5.792 7.432 1.858
495 1.272 5.484 6.756 1.689
510 0 5.055 5.055 1.264
525 3.964 3.964 0.991
540 3.415 3.415 0.854
555 2.685 2.685 0.671
570 2.076 2.076 0.519
585 1.888 1.888 0.472
600 1.640 1.640 0.410
615 1.272 1.272 0.318
630 0 0 0
 UH 480
7

5
Q (cm3/s)

3 UH 480
UH 120
2

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Time (s)

Figure 5 UH 480

S curve is obtained according to the table below.

Table 4 S-curve calculation

time
(second) UH120 UH120* UH120** UH120*** S
0 0 0
15 0.053567 0.053567
30 2.156057 2.156057
45 2.751986 2.751986
60 3.830015 3.830015
75 4.606731 4.606731
90 5.20266 5.20266
105 5.557539 5.557539
120 5.791893 0 5.791893
135 5.483885 0.053567 5.537451
150 5.055351 2.156057 7.211409
165 3.963931 2.751986 6.715917
180 3.414873 3.830015 7.244888
195 2.685028 4.606731 7.291759
210 2.075707 5.20266 7.278367
225 1.888224 5.557539 7.445763
240 1.640478 5.791893 0 7.432371
255 1.272208 5.483885 0.053567 6.809659
270 0 5.055351 2.156057 7.211409
285 3.963931 2.751986 6.715917
300 3.414873 3.830015 7.244888
315 2.685028 4.606731 7.291759
330 2.075707 5.20266 7.278367
345 1.888224 5.557539 7.445763
360 1.640478 5.791893 0 7.432371
375 1.272208 5.483885 0.053567 6.809659
390 0 5.055351 2.156057 7.211409
405 3.963931 2.751986 6.715917
420 3.414873 3.830015 7.244888
435 2.685028 4.606731 7.291759
450 2.075707 5.20266 7.278367
465 1.888224 5.557539 7.445763
480 1.640478 5.791893 0 7.432371
495 1.272208 5.483885 0.053567 6.809659
510 0 5.055351 2.156057 7.211409
525 3.963931 2.751986 6.715917
540 3.414873 3.830015 7.244888
555 2.685028 4.606731 7.291759
570 2.075707 5.20266 7.278367
585 1.888224 5.557539 7.445763
600 1.640478 5.791893 0 7.432371
615 1.272208 5.483885 0.053567 6.809659
630 0 5.055351 2.156057 7.211409
 S-curve
8
7
6
5
Q (cm3/s)

4
3
2
1
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Time (s)

Figure 6 S-curve

According to the last digit of the ID 420 seconds unit hydrograph is obtained by S curve. S curve
is shifted 420 s and subtracted from the first S-curve. The substraction is multiplied by (2/7)
because of S curve is obtained according to 120 seconds unit hydrograph.

Table 5 UH 420 calculation with S-curve

time
S S UH 420
(second)
0 0 0
15 0.053567 0.015305
30 2.156057 0.616016
45 2.751986 0.786282
60 3.830015 1.09429
75 4.606731 1.316209
90 5.20266 1.486474
105 5.557539 1.587868
120 5.791893 1.654826
135 5.537451 1.582129
150 7.211409 2.060402
165 6.715917 1.918833
180 7.244888 2.069968
195 7.291759 2.08336
210 7.278367 2.079533
225 7.445763 2.127361
 240 7.432371 2.123535
255 6.809659 1.945617
270 7.211409 2.060402
285 6.715917 1.918833
300 7.244888 2.069968
315 7.291759 2.08336
330 7.278367 2.079533
345 7.445763 2.127361
360 7.432371 2.123535
375 6.809659 1.945617
390 7.211409 2.060402
405 6.715917 1.918833
420 7.244888 0 2.069968
435 7.291759 0.053567 2.068055
450 7.278367 2.156057 1.463517
465 7.445763 2.751986 1.341079
480 7.432371 3.830015 1.029245
495 6.809659 4.606731 0.629408
510 7.211409 5.20266 0.573928
525 6.715917 5.557539 0.330965
540 7.244888 5.791893 0.415141
555 7.291759 5.537451 0.501231
570 7.278367 7.211409 0.019131
585 7.445763 6.715917 0.208527
600 7.432371 7.244888 0.053567

UH 420
2.5

2
Q (cm3/s)

1.5

0.5

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Time (s)

Figure 7 UH 420 calculating with S-curve

5. Conclusions and Discussion
The basin area is very small so some inconsistencies in the results. In some points sharp increasing
discharges makes the inconsistency. Because of the sharp changing in discharge S curve does not
give straight line. Maybe there is measurement errors while making the experiment.

In the nature there is no rainfall that has constant intensity so this makes the results unusual. If the
experiment is made in bigger model basin, rainfall duration increases and does not have constant
intensity like in nature, results become more correct. In my opinion with these small rainfall
duration and small basin area results are good.
6. References

https://serc.carleton.edu/

http://engineeringhydrology.blogspot.com/

https://riverfriends.org/

https://www.usgs.gov/

https://www.eea.europa.eu/