Design Criteria for Roughness Values under Real Sewer System Operating Conditions
Publication: Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 13, Issue 3
Abstract
The methodology commonly adopted for sewer design employs Manning’s equation for hydraulic calculations considering constant surface roughness values, thus neglecting the presence of biofilms, sediments, and obstacles under real operating situations. This paper analyzes the experimental results from several sewers and sewer design criteria and standards adopted around the world to mathematically model 3,964 representative sewage operation data points from the literature and 312 new pieces of data obtained in experiments carried out on a pilot scale and in actual sewer systems in Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), encompassing different diameters, slopes, and materials. After statistical analysis and model validation, new design criteria are proposed for roughness values under real operating conditions of gravity sewers expressed using two novel roughness equations. These results lead to the recommendation to adopt Manning’s roughness equal to 0.013 (which amounts to a 1-mm roughness height) for early operation, 0.015 (or 3 mm) for long-term operation, and 0.024 (or 36 mm) for both internally corrugated pipes and sewers retaining deposited sediments or containing obstacles.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Professor Isaac Volschan Jr. and Adriana Brasil for their technical support in the pilot scale tests at the Urban Water Simulator (SAU/CESA), which were carried out during the first author’s doctoral research at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 13 • Issue 3 • August 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Aug 24, 2021
Accepted: Feb 17, 2022
Published online: Apr 28, 2022
Published in print: Aug 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Sep 28, 2022
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