Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1002/2017WR021555
Title (Primary) Functional topology of evolving urban drainage networks
Author Yang, S.; Paik, K.; McGrath, G.S.; Urich, C.; Krueger, E.; Kumar, P.; Rao, P.S.C.
Source Titel Water Resources Research
Year 2017
Department ASAM
Volume 53
Issue 11
Page From 8966
Page To 8979
Language englisch
Supplements https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2F2017WR021555&file=wrcr22948-sup-0001-2017WR021555-s01.docx
Keywords urban drainage network; river network; self-similarity; fractal; infrastructure; self-organization
UFZ wide themes RU2;
Abstract We investigated the scaling and topology of engineered urban drainage networks (UDNs) in
two cities, and further examined UDN evolution over decades. UDN scaling was analyzed using two power
law scaling characteristics widely employed for river networks: (1) Hack’s law of length (L)-area (A) [L / Ah]
and (2) exceedance probability distribution of upstream contributing area (d) [PðA dÞ ad2E]. For the
smallest UDNs (<2 km2), length-area scales linearly (h ∼ 1), but power law scaling (h ∼ 0.6) emerges as the
UDNs grow. While PðA dÞ plots for river networks are abruptly truncated, those for UDNs display
exponential tempering [PðA  dÞ5ad2Eexp ð2cdÞ]. The tempering parameter c decreases as the UDNs
grow, implying that the distribution evolves in time to resemble those for river networks. However, the
power law exponent E for large UDNs tends to be greater than the range reported for river networks.
Differences in generative processes and engineering design constraints contribute to observed differences
in the evolution of UDNs and river networks, including subnet heterogeneity and nonrandom branching.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19786
Yang, S., Paik, K., McGrath, G.S., Urich, C., Krueger, E., Kumar, P., Rao, P.S.C. (2017):
Functional topology of evolving urban drainage networks
Water Resour. Res. 53 (11), 8966 - 8979 10.1002/2017WR021555