HYDROLOGY AND HYDRAULICS TO ESTIMATE PEAK DISCHARGES FOR HUYERUSIZI ROADWAY DRAINAGE PROTECTION

STRUCTURES DITCH &

CULVERTS IN TARE SECTOR, NYAMAGABE DISTRICT
1. Project study background
1.1 Objective
Carrying out a detailed design for Huye- Rusizi roadway drainage protection works in
Tare Sector.
1.2 Aim
The aim of the study is to prepare a technical document for execution of works to protect the
existing roadway and make it two ways drive with shoulders well drained
1.3 General Information
1.3.1

Location

The Project is a protection of a section of Huye-Nyamagabe-Rusizi NR6 located in Gakoma

Village, Nyamigina Cell, Tare Sector, Nyamagabe District, Southern Province. The section has
been demarcated within sight of advanced degradations as cracks, potholes and zones of low
pressure added to the specific area where the roadway is actually one way drive (872.88 m)
1.3.2

Climate

Roadway section to rehabilitate is situated in highland zone of Gikongoro near the Congo-Nile watershed
where is located the natural forest of Nyungwe. It benefits a climate originating from that relief of
highlands which modify deeply the climatic conditions. As other areas of Rwanda, , the area of the study
has four main seasons with slight difference in temperature:
The major rain season from mid- February to May
The major dry season from June to mid-September
The minor rain season from mid-September to mid-December; and
The minor dry season from mid-December to mid- February.
Temperature
The annual mean temperatures vary between 15.5 0C and 20 0C . The following tables and respectively
give maximum monthly temperature(1991- 2010) and mean monthly temperature (
) for Gikongoro
Met station.
Table....: Maximum Monthly Temperature TX (1991- 2010) in oC
Gikongoro
Months
Met
January
24.6
February
25.4

March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

24.7
24.0
23.1
26.3
24.1
26.0
25.9
25.4
24.3
24.3

Annual
Max TX

26.3

Rainfall
We have available(Fig...) Isohyets map of Rwanda- annual mean rainfall 1929-1987 elaborated using
annual mean rainfall of the period 1929-1987, after homogeneity control in double cumuls and extension
of series. This work has been done by IRMB (INSTITUT Royal Mtorologique de Belgique Projet
Evolution du climat et du cycle hydrologique au Rwanda with data from 30 climatological stations
through the whole country. Long term historical annual mean rainfall for the Site road watershed
deducted from the Fig. 3 Rwanda Isohyets map 1927-1987 is about 1310 mm.
There is a climatological station- GIKONGORO MET in the area of the site study: (LATITUDE 02
28, lONGITUDE029 34) located at 1910 m of altitude .
Table... and table...
respectively give daily and monthly historical rainfall data. As long as, estimating peak

flow discharges is using storm intensity-frequency-duration curves , Butare Meteo station which
has available such data and located nearby Gikongoro MET can be served for the work.
Table....GIKONGORO MET , monthly total rainfall and maximum
for the period 1999 -2010
Mont Mean
h
.
Max.
Year
141.4
1
3
262.2
1999
146.8
2
5
245.7
2010
144.8
3
5
289.3
1999
5
145
254.6
1991
28.50
6
9
101.1
2008
7
9.77
51.9
2008
38.53
8
6
151.9
1999
84.16
9
1
206
2010

10
11
12

1.3.3

130.2
8
121.8
1
124.8
9

226.7

1992

290.8

2009

247.3

1999

Watershed characteristics:
Size of the drainage area) expressed in ha or km2 : 32.824 m2
Shape: narrow shaped basin
Slope: steep; Highest altitude: 2158.17 m; Lowest altitude : 2089.27
Land use: cultivated land
Hydraulic Roughness : Hydraulic roughness represents the resistance

to flows in natural channels; Streamflow is frequently indirectly

computed by using Manning's equation; Procedures for selecting an
appropriate coefficient of hydraulic roughness, Manning's "n", may be
found in the FHWA report, "Guide for Selecting Manning's Roughness
Coefficient for Natural Channels and Flood Plains" "n",

Distance from the highest point to the lowest point: 637.89 m

Horizontal distance: 634.16 m

2. Hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) requirements

Drainage design is an essential element of roadway design. It encompasses hydrology,
hydraulics, permitting, and ultimately, providing facilities to collect and intercept surface runoff,
remove or diverting it from the roadway, and channel it to suitable locations where it can be
safely discharged downstream of the roadway.
Hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) requirements are two key issues that must be addressed in the
early phases of a project's drainage design.
.
For many design problems, particularly involving small drainage areas such as this one project
study, it is unnecessary to use difficult analytical methods that require extensive time and labor.
Fortunately, there are a number of sound and practical methods available to analyze hydrology
for the many design problems.
The roadway drainage and waterway structures include culverts, bridges, channel changes and
longitudinal encroachments on waterways or floodplains.
The hydrologic analysis, based on methods recommended herein, provides the basis for the
design of roadway drainage structures and facilities such as:
The best size and shape of pipe or culvert to satisfy field conditions,
The size for open channels,

The spacing of inlets,

Storm water detention ponds,
Groundwater infiltration devices, or
Channel protection

Proper drainage design is based on anticipating where surface runoff can accumulate and making
provisions for the release of excess water at the proper rates to preclude:
Unusual damage to private property,
Undue interference with the operation of vehicles or
An excessive maintenance burden.
1`Estimating Peak Discharge.
Before roadway drainage facilities can be hydraulically designed, the quantity of run-off (design
Q) that they may reasonably be expected to convey must be established. The estimation of peak
discharge for various recurrence intervals is therefore the most important, and often the most
difficult, task facing the roadway engineer.
The Peak Discharge may be defined as the maximum expected rate of flow,created by the design
storm, passing at a particular location (inlet, ditch, culvert, etc.).
For roadway drainage, the design storm is a selected intensity and duration of rainfall, expressed
in millimeters per hour, which tends to occur once during a specified period of years.
The rational formula is the recommended hydrologic model for drainage areas up to 80 ha (200
acres) in size. . Several assumptions are implicit in application of the Rational Method:

The maximum runoff rate occurs when the rainfall intensity lasts as long or longer than
the time of concentration

The frequency of the discharge is the same as that of the rainfall intensity

The fraction of the rainfall that becomes runoff is independent of the rainfall intensity or
volume

The rational formula is as follows:

Q = CIA/360 (in metric units)
where:
Q = Peak discharge (m3/s).
C = Runoff factor (based on drainage area surface type)
I = Rate of rainfall for the time of concentration of the drainage area for a given storm frequency
(Rainfall Intensity, mm/h).
A = Drainage area (ha).

It is necessary to adjust the total quantity of water falling on an area (IA) because a certain
percentage of water is dissipated by evaporation, transpiration, percolation, ponding and physical
characteristics such as sinkholes.
Therefore, the runoff factor "C" is introduced into the Rational Equation to account for the
dissipated water. The runoff factor "C" is a percentage factor which represents the proportion of
the total quantity of water falling on the area that remains as runoff. Suggested values for "C" for
various types of drainage areas are presented in the following Table .
The runoff factors presented in Table
provide generally accurate runoff results for most
situations. For the drainage area of the project site being cultivated and having steep slopes, the
runoff coefficient to be used for estimating the 10-year peak flow for the rural watershed can be
found in the following table... . It is is estimated equal to higher value, which is C = 0.30
Table : Runoff factors for the rational equation

NOTES
1. Higher values are applicable to denser soils and steep slopes.
2. Consideration should be given to future land use changes in the drainage area in selecting the "C" factor.
3. For drainage area containing several different types of ground cover, a weighted value of "C" factor shall
be used.
4. In special situations where sinkholes, stripped abandoned mines, etc. exist, careful evaluation shall be
given to the selection of a suitable runoff factor with consideration given to possible reclamation of the
land in the future

The drainage cultiveted area A of the proposed project is 3.92 ha

: The time of concentration is the time it takes a drop of water falling

on the hydraulically most remote point in the watershed to travel through the watershed to the
outlet
Time of Concentration Tc

The time of concentration (Tc) may be influenced by:

1. - The Type of Terrain over which the Water Flows.

The Velocity Method is a segmental approach, which can be used to

account for overland flow, shallow channel flow (rills or gutters), and main
channel flow. By considering the average velocity in each segment being
evaluated, a travel time can be calculated using the equation:
where:
ti = Travel time for velocity in segment I, in minutes
Li = Length of the flow path for segment I, in ft
vi = Average velocity for segment I, in ft/sec

Recommended average velocities for estimating travel time of overland flow is given by
the following Table :
TABLE : RECOMMENDED AVERAGE VELOCITIES OF OVERLAND FLOW
FOR DETERMINING TIME OF CONCENTRATION

Other recognized methods such as Kirpich (1940) Equation

The Kirpich equation can be used for rural areas to estimate the watershed t c directly. The
Kirpich equation is expressed as:

where:
tc = Time of concentration, in minutes
L = Length of travel, in ft
S = Slope, in ft/ft
Fs = 1.0 for natural basins with well-defined channels, overland flow on bare
earth, and mowed grass roadside channels
= 2 for overland flow on grassed surfaces
= 0.4 for overland flow on concrete or asphaltic surfaces
= 0.2 for concrete channels
So, for the concerned site drainage: L = 637.89; Fs=1
S = Hmx- Hmin/ L = 2158.17-2089.27/637.89 = 0.11
Tc = 0.0078 x (637.89)0.77/0.11 0.385

Tc = 2.63 minutes
2. Stream Velocities. Prior to reaching the point of interest, the water may flow overland and
subsequently flow into a stream. The stream velocities shall be calculated using Manning's
Equation. The time of concentration may be determined by the criteria indicated above and
considered as representing the duration of a storm. The extent of the drainage area may be
determined from the following:
Photogrammetric Plans
Roadway Design Plans
Field Observations.
Rainfall Intensity "I"
Location. The drainage area is located in Nyamagabe nearby a meteorological station of
Gikongoro. Unfortunately, this station has not information data about rainfall intensity. But,
fortunately Rwanda Meteorological Service (RMS) has pubIished in February 1981 a
booklet in French LINTENSITE DES PLUIES AU RWANDA on intensity- DurationFrequency (IDF) of precipitation in Rwanda for 3 synoptic stations (Butare, Kamembe and
Kigali-Kanombe). The IDF Tables developed by RMS Department are intended to provide a
reasonable basis for design in near location areas Depth-frequency data for durations of
15min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, 75 min, 90 min of precipitation depth for return period
frequencies of two times in 1 year, one time in 2, 5, 10 years are available. For the
present project..... IDF data calculated for Butare synoptic station located nearby the
considered site project could be used. The IDF Tables for Butare Meteo station are as
follows:
Table. Butare, Intensity in mm per hour (mm/h)
equal or exceeded two times in 1 year, one time in 2, 5, 10 years
Duration

1 time
in 1 year

1 time
in 2 year

1 time
in 5 year

1 time
in 10 years

15 min
30 min
45 min
60 min
75 min
90 min

66.0
53.4
41.3
34.8
28.2
24.3

75.2
61.2
47.7
40.4
32.7
28.3

87.2
71.6
56.3
47.8
38.8
33.5

96.4
79.4
62.5
53.4
43.4
37.6

Table. Butare, rainfall in mm equal or exceeded

two times in 1 year, one time in 2, 5, 10 years
Duration

1 time
in 1 year

1 time
in 2 year

1 time
in 5 year

1 time
in 10 years

15 min
30 min
45 min
60 min
75 min
90 min

16.5
26.7
31.0
34.8
35.2
36.5

18.8
30.6
35.8
40.4
40.9
42.4

21.8
35.8
42.2
47.8
48.5
50.3

24.1
39.7
46.9
53.4
54.2
56.4

Table. Butare, Intensity in liter per second per hectare(l/s/ha)

equal or exceeded two times in 1 year, one time in 2, 5, 10 years
Duration

1 time
in 1 year

1 time
in 2 year

1 time
in 5 year

1 time
in 10 years

15 min
30 min
45 min
60 min
75 min
90 min

183
147
115
97
78
68

209
170
133
112
91
79

242
199
156
133
108
93

268
221
174
148
121
104

Storm Frequency F
Frequency can be defined either in terms of an exceedance
6 probability or a return period. Exceedance probability is the probability that an event having a
specified volume and duration will be exceeded in a specified time period (usually one year).
Return period is the average length of time between events having the same volume and
duration. The exceedance probability (p) and return period (T) are related as follows:
P= 1/T
A 10-year storm has a 1/10 or 10% exceedance probability (probability of
occurrence in any given year. A 10-year storm frequency shall be used for all roadways
with longitudinal drains, side drains, and slope pipes.
.
Having all parameters, the peak discharge (design Q) can be calculated as follows:
C = 0.30
I = data for durations of 15min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min, 75 min, 90 min of precipitation
depth for 10 years return period for Butare meteo station
A1 upstream drainage area cultivated = 3.92 ha
A2 road = larg 9m x Long1000 m = 0.90ha; C = 0.80
Q102 = ( 0.80x 96.4 x 0.90)/360 = 0.194 m3/s
The table
gives the quantity of run-off of 10 years return period for various intensities and
duration (design Q10 years = CIA/360):
Duration

I (mm/h) for 10
years
return period

Q10 m3/s

15 min
30 min
45 min
60 min

96.4
79.4
62.5
53.4

0.315
0.259
0.204
0.174

75 min
90 min

43.4
37.6

0.142
0.123

Qdrainage area = Q1 + Q2 = 0.507 m3/s

CAPACITY OF ROADWAY HYDRAULIC FACILITIES
(Ditch along the concerned section of road and Culverts)
..
Ditches and culverts are among the important drainage facilities that assist in collecting and
removing water from the surface of the roadway and adjacent ground.
The capacity of the drainage facilities is measured in terms of discharge and may be
determined by the equation of continuity as follows:
Q = AV, where:
Q = Discharge of water (m3/s). A drainage facility at a particular location shall hydraulically and
economically accommodate the peak discharge for the location.
A = Net effective area provided by the drainage facility (m2). The effective area is that cross
sectional area of the facility which may be used to carry water. It may not be desirable that the
entire cross sectional area of the drainage facility be utilized to carry water. V = Velocity of the
water (m/s). The velocity shall generally be determined by Manning'sequation.
Manning's equation is as follows:
where: V = Velocity of the water (m/s).
R = Hydraulic radius which is equal to the net effective area (A) divided
by the wetted perimeter (WP):
The wetted perimeter is the length in meters of the drainage facility cross section which is
wetted by the water.
S = Slope of energy line (for approximation, use water surface slope in wetted stream and stream
bed slope in dry stream).
n = The roughness coefficient( see Hydrology Handbook February 2012 B-4 )

Ditch Design
Flow depth and velocity are calculated following the basic principles of open channel flow.
Mannings formula, shown below, is used to relate flow velocity to ditch slope, hydraulic radius,
and a hydraulic roughness coefficient.
V 1/n R S for metric units; where: V = velocity, m/s ; limit V = 1.50 m/s for mixed
aggregate, sand and limon;
2/3

1/2

Q10 years for duration of 15 min with rainfall intensity of 10 years return period =96.4 mm/h
from upstsream drainage area being = 0.507 m3/s
Wetted surface A = Q/V = 0.507 m3/s/1.50 = 0.338 m2
On the basis of these data; the following properties of the proposed ditch to built are:
Type I:

B = 0.40 m; b = 0.40; h= 0.60 m

: Type II:

B = 1.00 m; b = 0.60m; h =0.60m

Type III

B = 1.20 m; b = 0.70m; h =0.60m

Culverts Design
Knowing the discharge Q to evacuate and fixing the 1st value of diameter D,
Q* = Q (2gD5)1/2 is calculated. Then, H*1= H1/D is found on the abaque fig.74.. This value H*
is the first value which will be evaluated by the project.
Q* = Q (2gD5)1/2
Then after, the corresponding critical slope ( see para 4.3.3, BCOM Hydraulique routire
1981) and the water velocity inside the culvert (para 4.3.4) in order to verify if < to 2 m/s
Si V> 2m/s, either we take a diameter value > the first one tried D, or we increase the number
of the culverts.
Q to be transported = 0.507 m3/s
Q* = 0.507 x (2.x9.8 x 0.805)1/2= 0.49 m3/s
H1* = H1/D =1.5 and Q* = Q/Ax (2gD)1/2= Q/BD (2gD)1/2
V = Q /BD = 0.507/8x0.80 = 0.05 m/s does not exceed 2 m/s
maximum velocity
Q* = 0.49
H1* = H1 /D = 1.5
Q* = Q/BD (2gD)1/2; BD (2gD)1/2= Q/BD (2gD)1/2
BD2(2gD)1/2= Q/ BD (2gD)1/2
D = (Q/B2)1/3
V=Q/BD = 0.63 m/s <2m/s

Annexes
Annex1
Gikongoro Met : Daily Precipitation 1990 -2012

Annex 2 Isohyet map