Work

Hydrological performance and design of bioretention systems for heavy rainfall management: A laboratory study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Bioretention systems are increasingly employed for urban stormwater management, yet their effectiveness under intense rainfall remains insufficiently characterized. This study evaluates the hydrological performance of three full-scale bioretention cells (100 × 50 × 70 cm) with varying soil–sand compositions, tested using a custom-designed rainfall simulator. Measured hydraulic conductivities ranged from 63.3 to 325.6 mm/hr. The SWMM model was calibrated and validated against experimental data, demonstrating strong agreement (r > 0.9; NSE > 0.8; low MSE). Findings show that standard designs (100–300 mm/hr conductivity; 5% catchment coverage) are inadequate for peak flow mitigation under heavy rainfall (>100 mm). However, increasing bioretention area coverage significantly improved performance: expanding from 5% to 30% reduced peak discharge by up to 50%, delayed peak runoff by 82 minutes, and increased detention time. Runoff volume reductions ranged from 2.1–11.2% for a 2-year return period and 1.4–6.8% for a 50-year event. A coverage of 10–20% is recommended for effective mitigation. Empirical design equations are proposed, and refinements to SWMM’s percolation modeling are suggested to improve accuracy.

Source: Nature-Based Solutions

DOI: 10.1016/j.nbsj.2025.100265

Authors: Muhammad Baitullah Al Amin, Joko Sujono, Radianta Triatmadja

Institutions: Universitas Gadjah Mada, Sriwijaya University

Language: English

Topic: Urban Stormwater Management Solutions

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Clean water and sanitation, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,910