Hydraulic Design of Street Drainage Using a Trench/Pipe System

The conventional method of draining stormwater involves the removal of runoff via a network of interconnecting pipes. This paper describes a new approach to the problem which relies on the ability of a gravel filled trench located beneath the invert of a roadside swale to convey the stormwater. The capacity of the basic gravel-filled trench may be increased by the inclusion of perforated pipes of varying sizes. The paper reports on a scale model study which produced data and information enabling the design of such installations to be carried out.