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Oral

Stormwater (UWRRC)

Modeling the Compounding Effects of Urban Karst Due to Subsurface Infrastructure and Compacted Soils on Urban Flooding

Monday, May 19, 2025
5:15 PM – 5:30 PM Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT)
Room: Room 9 & 10
Abstract Submission: Urban development has resulted in the compaction of soil, which changes soil porosity and reduces the ability of water to infiltrate into the soil. Estimating the amount of runoff entering stormwater pipes and stormwater control measures (SCMs) requires models that can adequately capture the amount of rainfall that becomes runoff and the amount that infiltrates into the soil and does not enter the stormwater system. This research study combines field measures of compaction, soil porosity, and stormwater runoff modeling in a Middletown, PA, watershed to improve understanding of the impacts of a compaction layer (soil resistance > 2,000 kPa or 300 psi) on the amount of water that will infiltrate. The results show that the compaction layer with resistance >300 psi will substantially delay the movement of water into the lower layers of a soil profile and that delay may be a function of rainfall intensity and/or rainfall depth. These impacts may be compounded in larger watersheds where the pipes do not drain before the next rainfall increment creates runoff. This project analyzes the impacts of multiple flooding storms due to high-intensity, short-duration rainfall to improve understanding of the controlling factors for flooding. This highlights the vital importance of soil compaction layers in understanding the movement of stormwater in the urban environment.

Learning Objectives/Expected Outcome (Optional) :