HYDROLOGICAL/HYDRAULICS

ANALYSIS REPORT
FOR
Existing Drainage of
AlAmudin Mekelle Road

Ayder Hospital New Road Segment

December 2015

Contents
1.0

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 3

2.1

Geographic Location............................................................................................................... 4

2.2

Climate ........................................................................................................................................ 4

3.0
3.1

METHODOLOGY AND ANALYSIS CRITERIA ........................................................................ 5

Data Collection ......................................................................................................................... 5

4.0 HYDROLOGICAL ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................... 6

4.1 Triangular Unit Hydrograph or SCS Method .......................................................................... 6
5.0

HYDRAULIC DESIGN................................................................................................................. 10

5.1

General...................................................................................................................................... 10

5.2

Drainage open channel......................................................................................................... 10

6 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................... 11
6.1 Hydraulic remedial measures include: .................................................................................. 11
6.2 Hydrological remedial measures include: ............................................................................ 12

1.0

INTRODUCTION
The objective of the drainage study of highway, generally is to design appropriate conveyance
structures to pass safely the predetermined discharge from one side of the road to the other
side without damaging on the upstream property and/or overtopping the road.
For this reason, this study is conducted to check whether the newly constructed drainage
structure at around Ayder hospital is sufficient to effectively convey the discharge coming from
the catchment. therefore a detail hydrology of the catchment and hydraulics of the drainage
line is conducted according to Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) Drainage Design Manual
(2002 and 2013) .Moreover for particular area of interest a number of other manual and
publication were consulted.
The hydrological study deals with estimation of design discharge by analyzing Rainfall
data, Topographic map from the Master plan of Mekelle city and Google Earth, Surveying
data including selected GPS data points.
In addition for calculation of the catchment
discharge the U.S. Soil Conservation Services (SCS) method have been adopted. The
hydraulic analysis deals with waterway of drainage structures which is done with the
Mannings formula.

2.1 Geographic Location

The newly constructed road is locally called Alamudin road, which extends from Hawelti
semaetat to Ayder Hamida. But specificly this analysis is done for the road segment beyond
the Muslim Cemetery around Ayder Hospital to the Mayhafti Office. Indicated in the figure.

Figure 1
2.2 Climate
By reference to the meteorological map of Ethiopia, 1979 the project area is described as
Semi-arid. The mean annual rainfall is 540mm.
Basic climatic data: monthly rainfalls are given in tables 1
Month
Average
Monthly
Rainfall

January
2.77

February March
5.93

Table 1 Mean Monthly Rainfall

21.97

April
34.50

May
27.68

June
30.12

July
184.09

August
210.54

SeptemberOctober
30.75

4.90

NovemberDecember
4.96

0.85

3.0 METHODOLOGY AND ANALYSIS CRITERIA

The methodology includes study on topographic map, using Mekelle City master plan and
Google Earth images in addition to selected survey with GPS. Where the rainfall data from
Mekelle Airport rainfall station data has been used for the estimation of design rainfall and the
discharge estimation has been done for the catchment which is to drain to the indicted outlet
point and the capacity of the already constructed rectangular masonry open channel has been
checked using the necessary data for the Mannings equation
3.1 Data Collection
Rainfall records, topographic maps, GPS points for the hydrological/hydraulic study of the
project are collected in order to determine the catchment discharge. In which the catchment
area draining to the outlet point is indicated in the figure.

Figure 2 catchment area for the given outlet

4.0 HYDROLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Using the input data which have been collected from the topographic maps, field investigation,
manuals and National Meteorological Service Agency (NMSA), the design flood is computed
by employing appropriate rainfall-runoff models.
4.1 Triangular Unit Hydrograph or SCS Method
The technique developed by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service for calculating rates of runoff
require the same basic data as Rational Method; catchment area, a runoff factor, time of
concentration and rainfall. The SCS approach, however, is more sophisticated in that it
considers also the time distribution of the rainfall, the initial rainfall losses to interception,
depression storage and infiltration rate that decreases during the course of storm. With the
SCS method, the direct runoff can be calculated for any storm, either from real or fabricated
by subtracting infiltration and other losses from the rainfall to obtain the precipitation excess.
The SCS method is based on 24 hours storm event, which has a type II time distribution.
The type II storm distribution is a typical time distribution, which SCS has prepared for rainfall
records. It is appropriate to apply in Ethiopia because the distribution is applicable for interior
rather than coastal region.
A) Design Point Rainfall
The design point rainfall is one the input for computation of design flood by SCS method. Daily
highest rainfall of Mekelle station, which represents the project area, is analyzed by frequency
analysis to determine the design point rainfall of the project area for 25 year return period.in
this case the 25 year return period is selected according to Ministry of Works and Urban
Development urban storm Drainage Design Manual (2008) the return periods considered in
the flood computations are as follows:

Storm drainage

Table 2 Highest Rainfall of Mekelle Airport station

20/25 years return period

The design point rainfall is computed by Gamble distribution method using daily maximum rainfall data of
Mekelle station
_

PT P K
Where:
PT

Design Point rainfall of given return

period

=
=
=

Mean of recorded rainfall

Standard deviation of recorded rainfall
Frequency factor

6
T

0.57721 ln ln

T 1

Table 0-1 Design Point rainfall (Mekelle AP Rainfall Station)

Station
Mekelle

Mean of
Rainfall

Standard
Deviation

Frequency
factor

Return
Period

Design Point
Rainfall

49.48

17.47

2.044

25

85.19

(48 years of highest rainfall data Debark has been used for the analysis)

B) Rainfall Runoff Equation

The SCS runoff equation is a method of estimating direct runoff from 24-hour or 1-day storm
rainfall. The equation is:

Qu

P 0.2 S

P 0.8 S

Where

Qu
P
S

=
=
=

Direct runoff (mm)

Design rainfall (mm)
Potential infiltration or potential maximum soil water retention

The potential maximum soil water retention, S, is related to hydrologic soil properties, land
cover and management conditions as well as, the soil moisture status of the catchment prior
to rainfall event and expressed by a dimensionless response index termed the catchment
curve number (CN).
The CN and S are related as follows:

25400
254
CN

The CN number is selected according to the soil type, moisture condition and the land cover
of the watershed area. Where the Curve Number for the catchment area is 82.

Figure 3 SCS relation b/n direct runoff, curve number and precipitation

Figure4 Unit Peak Discharge for Type II rainfall

Existing drainage system flow sufficiency analysis

Catchment Area Discharge Analysis
Catchment Area
Catchment Curve Number
Longest flow Path

Value

Unit

54.91 ha
82
1.727 Km

Time of Concentration

0.6 hr

Return period

25 yr

Design point Rainfall

85.19 mm

Effective design Rainfall

70.52 mm

catchment unit discharge for Every 100ha

0.195 (m3/s/100ha/mm)

Total Catchment discharge @outlet

7.55

m3/s

5.0 HYDRAULIC DESIGN

5.1

General

The opening areas of the drainage structures are determined to pass safely the design flood.
The design flood is the flood that adopted for the design of drainage structures after
consideration of economic factors. The design flood of each watershed was calculated in the
hydrological analysis section of this report (in the previous section).
5.2

Drainage open channel

Mannings equation has been used for developing the rate curve at bridge crossing.
2

1
Q A R 3 S 2
n

Where

Q
N
R
S

=
=
=
=

Discharge in m3/s
weighted mannings roughness coefficient
hydraulic radius (m)
Slope of energy grade line or channel bed slope
(m/m)

Drainage Rectangular channel conveyance analysis

Value

Unit

Depth of Flow

0.9 m

Freeboard

0.3 m

Width of channel

1.2 m

Area of Flow
Wetted perimeter
Hydraulic mean Depth

1.08 m2
3 m
0.36 m

Slope of channel(Average)

0.018 m/m

manning's roughness Coefficient(for mortared masonry)

0.023

Discharge through Channel

3.19

m3/s

6 CONCLUSION
As we can observe from the hydrological and hydraulic analysis that the catchment
discharge is much higher than the existing channel discharge.
Therefor Additional remedial measures are necessary to reduce the effect of this over
flow discharge.

6.1 Hydraulic remedial measures include:

1. Increasing the conveyance of the channel by increasing the depth of flow,
2. increasing the slope of channel with regulated increase in slope so that the
velocity does not exceed the scouring velocity and
3. Decreasing the resistance to flow by reducing the mannings roughness such as
plastering the channel.
Where the adjustment of the above remedial measures could give a different
conveyance flow for the rectangular channel.
Remedial Actions to be done for increasing the conveyance
Depth of Flow

1.2 m

Freeboard

0.3 m

Width of channel

1.2 m

Area of Flow

1.44 m2

Wetted perimeter

3.6 m

Hydraulic mean Depth

0.4 m

Slope of channel(Average)

0.03 m/m

manning's roughness Coefficient(for lined channel)

0.016

Discharge through Channel

8.46

m3/s

6.2 Hydrological remedial measures include:

4. Diverting a significant amount of discharge joining at the south east corner of
Ayder hospital to the west side along the drainage line passing through the upper
side of Ayder hospital which could finally join the river at around Adishimduhun
bridge. Indicated on the map.
In this case the amount of discharge from the catchment to be diverted should be
calculated and this discharge should be checked with the flow capacity of the
existing drainage system.

Figure 5 map for catchment area and flow to be diverted

remedial measures to be done by diverting the

catchment discharge
Catchment Area Discharge Analysis

Value

Unit

Catchment Area

18.3 ha

Coefficient of Runoff

0.69

Longest flow Path

600 m

Time of Concentration

15 min

Return period

25 yr

Frequency factor

1.1

Rainfall Intensity

130 mm

Discharge to be diverted

4.56 m3/s