ORCID Profile
0000-0001-5799-6185
Current Organisations
Eawag
,
Ostschweizer Fachhochschule OST
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Civil Engineering | Water Resources Engineering | Land Use and Environmental Planning | Surfacewater Hydrology | Water Quality Engineering | Infrastructure Engineering and Asset Management | Environmental Engineering Modelling
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Urban Water Evaluation (incl. Water Quality) | Urban and Industrial Water Management | Expanding Knowledge in Engineering | Urban Planning | Natural Hazards in Urban and Industrial Environments |
Related Links
Publications
Vulnerability to urban flooding assessed based on spatial demographic, socio-economic and infrastructure inequalities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Modelling a ‘business case’ for blue-green infrastructure: lessons from the Water Sensitive Cities Toolkit
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.2166/BGS.2020.018
Abstract: Stormwater management through Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) delivers multiple benefits across urban environments. However, current integrated modelling tools fail to provide a simplified way of assessing these benefits. In this study, we reflected upon the development of an interdisciplinary BGI planning-support tool, known as the Water Sensitive Cities Toolkit (the WSC Toolkit) and offer guidance for effective tool development going forward. Based on interdisciplinary research, the WSC Toolkit incorporates a suite of independent sub-modules but can be connected together to provide integrated assessment, allowing evidence-based quantification of multiple benefits associated with BGI, e.g., stormwater treatment and harvesting, stream hydrology, erosion, minor flooding, urban microclimate, etc. Distinguished from other larger complex models, the WSC Toolkit was characterised by its simplicity, modularity and extensibility, providing scenario-based integrated assessment of these benefits. Through case studies, we demonstrated how the WSC Toolkit can be used to support improved decision-making towards maximising the benefits of BGI. We also showed how it can act as a platform for practical application of latest research outcomes and meanwhile encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. We reflect upon five key lessons that could guide future researchers in developing effective integrated assessment tools, particularly within highly interdisciplinary fields such as BGI.
Integrated modelling of stormwater treatment systems uptake
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2018.05.037
Abstract: Nature-based solutions provide a variety of benefits in growing cities, ranging from stormwater treatment to amenity provision such as aesthetics. However, the decision-making process involved in the installation of such green infrastructure is not straightforward, as much uncertainty around the location, size, costs and benefits impedes systematic decision-making. We developed a model to simulate decision rules used by local municipalities to install nature-based stormwater treatment systems, namely constructed wetlands, ponds/basins and raingardens. The model was used to test twenty-four scenarios of policy-making, by combining four asset selection, two location selection and three budget constraint decision rules. Based on the case study of a local municipality in Metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, the modelled uptake of stormwater treatment systems was compared with attributes of real-world systems for the simulation period. Results show that the actual budgeted funding is not reliable to predict systems' uptake and that policy-makers are more likely to plan expenditures based on installation costs. The model was able to replicate the cumulative treatment capacity and the location of systems. As such, it offers a novel approach to investigate the impact of using different decision rules to provide environmental services considering biophysical and economic factors.
Illicit discharge detection in stormwater drains using an Arduino-based low-cost sensor network
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 02-2022
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2022.034
Abstract: Illicit discharges in urban stormwater drains are a major environmental concern that deteriorate downstream waterway health. Conventional detection methods such as stormwater drain visual inspection and dye testing have fundamental drawbacks and limitations which can prevent easy location and elimination of illegal discharges in a catchment. We deployed 22 novel low-cost level, temperature and conductivity sensors across an urban catchment in Melbourne for a year to monitor the distributed drainage network, thereby detecting likely illicit discharges ranging from a transitory flow with less than 10 minutes to persistent flows lasting longer than 20 hours. We discuss rapid deployment methods, real-time data collection and online processing. The ensemble analysis of all dry weather flow data across all sites indicates that: (i) large uncertainties are associated with discharge frequency, duration, and variation in water quality within industrial and residential land uses (ii) most dry weather discharges are intermittent and transient flows which are difficult to detect and not simply due to cross-connections with the sewerage network (iii) detectable diurnal discharge patterns can support mitigation efforts, including policies and regulatory measures (e.g., enforcement or education) to protect receiving waterways and, (iv) that it is possible to cost effectively isolate sources of dry weather pollution using a distributed sensor network.
Linking human impacts to community processes in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-12-2022
DOI: 10.1111/ELE.14153
Abstract: Human impacts such as habitat loss, climate change and biological invasions are radically altering bio ersity, with greater effects projected into the future. Evidence suggests human impacts may differ substantially between terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, but the reasons for these differences are poorly understood. We propose an integrative approach to explain these differences by linking impacts to four fundamental processes that structure communities: dispersal, speciation, species‐level selection and ecological drift. Our goal is to provide process‐based insights into why human impacts, and responses to impacts, may differ across ecosystem types using a mechanistic, eco‐evolutionary comparative framework. To enable these insights, we review and synthesise (i) how the four processes influence ersity and dynamics in terrestrial versus freshwater communities, specifically whether the relative importance of each process differs among ecosystems, and (ii) the pathways by which human impacts can produce ergent responses across ecosystems, due to differences in the strength of processes among ecosystems we identify. Finally, we highlight research gaps and next steps, and discuss how this approach can provide new insights for conservation. By focusing on the processes that shape ersity in communities, we aim to mechanistically link human impacts to ongoing and future changes in ecosystems.
Policy sequencing for early-stage transition dynamics – A process model and comparative case study in the water sector
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Modelling cities and water infrastructure dynamics
Publisher: Thomas Telford Ltd.
Date: 10-2013
Abstract: Urban water systems are under increasing pressure due to the impact of climate change, population growth and urbanisation. In order to make our urban water systems more adaptable to these challenges new water management strategies must be developed. During the last 20 years many new decentralised technologies have emerged and their integration with existing centralised technologies, in particular, creates complex interactions. To deepen our understanding of these interactions at the city scale and to identify possible transition strategies the development of a potential strategic planning tool is thus proposed. This paper focuses on the evolution of the urban environment and water system, in space and time, in the tool. The dynamics of the model is shown for alpine cities. Numerous test cases are stochastically generated by means of the virtual infrastructure benchmarking approach and evolved over time. Different scenarios for the development of the urban environment and water system are statistically evaluated. An increase of rainfall intensities of more than 10% was identified as critical for the performance of the combined sewer systems investigated. By using DAnCE4Water such critical points in the time line of system performance can be identified.
Rainwater harvesting for urban flood management – An integrated modelling framework
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2019.115372
Abstract: It is well known that rainwater harvesting (RWH) can augment water supply and reduce stormwater pollutant discharges. Due to the lack of continuous 2D modelling of urban flood coverage and its associated damage, the ability of RWH to reduce urban flood risks has not been fully evaluated. Literature suggests that small distributed storage spaces using RWH tanks will reduce flood damage only during small to medium flooding events and therefore cumulative assessment of their benefits is needed. In this study we developed a new integrated modelling framework that implements a semi-continuous simulation approach to investigate flood prevention and water supply benefits of RWH tanks. The framework includes a continuous mass balance simulation model that considers antecedent rainfall conditions and water demand/usage of tanks and predicts the available storage prior to each storm event. To do so, this model couples a rainfall-runoff tank storage model with a detailed stochastic end-use water demand model. The available storage capacity of tanks is then used as a boundary condition for the novel rapid flood simulation model. This flood model was developed by coupling the U.S. EPA Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) to the Cellular-Automata Fast Flood Evaluation (CA-ffé) model to predict the inundation depth caused by surcharges over the capacity of the drainage network. The stage-depth damage curves method was used to calculate time series of flood damage, which are then directly used for flood risk and cost-benefit analysis. The model was tested through a case study in Melbourne, using a recorded rainfall time series of 85 years (after validating the flood model against 1D-2D MIKE-FLOOD). Results showed that extensive implementation of RWH tanks in the study area is economically feasible and can reduce expected annual damage in the catchment by up to approximately 30 percent. Availability of storage space and temporal distribution of rainfall within an event were important factors affecting tank performance for flood reduction.
What drives the location choice for water sensitive infrastructure in Melbourne, Australia?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2018
Modelling Interactions Between Lot-Scale Decentralised Water Infrastructure and Urban Form - a Case Study on Infiltration Systems
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-09-2013
Can we model the implementation of water sensitive urban design in evolving cities?
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 02-12-2015
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2014.464
Abstract: This study showcases the dynamic simulation capabilities of the Urban Biophysical Environments And Technologies Simulator (UrbanBEATS) on a Melbourne catchment. UrbanBEATS simulates the planning, design and implementation of water sensitive urban design (WSUD) infrastructure in urban environments. It considers explicitly the interaction between urban and water infrastructure planning through time. The model generates a large number of realizations of different WSUD interventions and their evolution through time based on a user-defined scenario. UrbanBEATS' dynamics was tested for the first time on a historical case study of Scotchman's Creek catchment and was trained using historical data (e.g. planning documents, narratives, urban development and societal information) to adequately reproduce patterns of uptake of specific WSUD technologies. The trained model was also used to explore the implications of more stringent future water management objectives. Results highlighted the challenges of meeting this legislation and the opportunities that can be created through the mix of multiple spatial scales.
A critical review of integrated urban water modelling - Urban drainage and beyond
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2014
Calibration and sensitivity analysis of a novel water flow and pollution model for future city planning: Future Urban Stormwater Simulation (FUSS)
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 08-02-2022
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2022.046
Abstract: Planning for future urban development and water infrastructure is uncertain due to changing human activities and climate. To quantify these changes, we need adaptable and fast models that can reliably explore scenarios without requiring extensive data and inputs. While such models have been recently considered for urban development, they are lacking for stormwater pollution assessment. This work proposes a novel Future Urban Stormwater Simulation (FUSS) model, utilizing a previously developed urban planning algorithm (UrbanBEATS) to dynamically assess pollution changes in urban catchments. By using minimal input data and adding stochastic point-source pollution to the build-up/wash-off approach, this study highlights calibration and sensitivity analysis of flow and pollution modules, across the range of common stormwater pollutants. The results highlight excellent fit to measured values in a continuous rainfall simulation for the flow model, with one significant calibration parameter. The pollution model was more variable, with TSS, TP and Pb showing high model efficiency, while TN was predicted well only across event-based assessment. The work further explores the framework for the model application in future pollution assessment, and points to the future work aiming to developing land-use dependent model parameter sets, to achieve flexibility for model application across varied urban catchments.
A rapid fine-scale approach to modelling urban bioclimatic conditions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
A planning-support tool for spatial suitability assessment of green urban stormwater infrastructure
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2019.06.051
Abstract: Distributed green stormwater management infrastructure is increasingly applied worldwide to counter the negative impacts of urbanisation and climate change, while providing a range of benefits related to ecosystem services. They are known as Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) in Australia, Nature Based Solutions (NBS) in Europe, Low Impact Development (LID) in the USA, and Sponge City systems in China. Urban planning for WSUD has been ad-hoc, lacking strategy and resulting in sub-optimal outcomes. The purpose of this study is to help improve strategic WSUD planning and placement through the development of a Planning Support System. This paper presents the development of Spatial Suitability ANalysis TOol (SSANTO), a rapid GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis tool using a flexible mix of techniques to map suitability for WSUD assets across urban areas. SSANTO applies a novel WSUD suitability framework, which conceptualises spatial suitability for WSUD implementation from two perspectives: 'Needs' and 'Opportunities' for WSUD. It combines biophysical as well as socio-economic, planning and governance criteria ('Opportunities') with criteria relating to ecosystem services ('Needs'). Testing SSANTO through comparing its results to work done by a WSUD consultancy successfully verified its algorithms and demonstrated its capability to reflect and potentially enhance the outcomes of planning processes. Manual GIS based suitability analysis is time and resource intensive. Through its rapid suitability analysis, SSANTO facilitates iterative spatial analysis for exploration of scenarios and stakeholder preferences. It thus facilitates collaborative planning and deeper understanding of the relationship between erse and complex urban contexts and urban planning outcomes for WSUD.
A Cellular Automata Fast Flood Evaluation (CA‐ffé) Model
Publisher: American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Date: 06-2019
DOI: 10.1029/2018WR023679
Abstract: The simulation speed of two‐dimensional hydrodynamic flood models is a limiting factor when catchments are large, a considerable number of simulations is required (e.g., exploratory modeling, Monte‐Carlo flood simulations, or predicting probabilistic flood maps), or when there is a need for real‐time flood emergency management. Rapid Flood Models (RFMs) that rely only on topographic depressions and the water balance equation have been successfully implemented to predict maximum urban flood inundation depths within seconds to a few minutes. However, the preprocessing step (identification of depressions and their attributes) and the postprocessing step (marking up possible flow paths of flood water in between flooded depressions) of RFMs is time consuming. In this study, we developed a new fast flood inundation model based on the cellular automata (CA) approach. The new model does not require the preprocessing and postprocessing steps of RFMs and therefore can provide more simulation speed. The performance of our new model, referred to as Cellular Automata fast flood evaluation (CA‐ffé), was compared to two well‐known hydrodynamic flood models (HEC‐RAS and TUFLOW) in 20 simulation experiments conducted in five different urban subcatchments. CA‐ffé predicted maximum inundation depth with reasonable accuracy in a matter of seconds to a few minutes for a single rainfall event simulation. The CA‐ffé model performed exceptionally well in areas with low‐lying depressions. However, in areas where floodwaters had higher momentum and velocity, the model usually was not able to estimate inundation depths calculated by HEC‐RAS or TUFLOW. CA‐ffé's key drawback is also its inability to represent the temporal evolution of flooding and flow velocities. Nevertheless, its ability to provide spatial flood extents and depths in a fraction of the time compared to its hydrodynamic counterparts is a significant advancement toward exploratory approaches for water systems planning, model‐based predictive control, and real‐time flood management.
Reconciling cities with nature: Identifying local Blue-Green Infrastructure interventions for regional biodiversity enhancement
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2022.115254
Abstract: Increasing urbanization degrades quantity, quality, and the functionality of spatial cohesion of natural areas essential to bio ersity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. The uncontrolled pace of building activity and the erosion of blue (i.e., aquatic) and green (i.e., terrestrial) landscape elements threaten existing habitat ranges and movability of wildlife. Local scale measures, such as nature-inspired engineered Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) are emerging mitigation solutions. Originally planned to promote sustainable stormwater management, adaptation to climate change and improved human livability in cities, such instruments offer interesting synergies for bio ersity in support of existing ecological infrastructure. BGI are especially appealing for globally declining hibians, a rich and erse vertebrate assemblage sensitive to urbanization. We integrated biological and highly resolved urban-rural land-cover data, ensemble models of habitat suitability, and connectivity models based on circuit theory to improve multi-scale and multi-species protection of core habitats and ecological corridors in the Swiss lowlands. Considering a broad spectrum of hibian bio ersity, we identified distributions of hibian bio ersity hotspots and four landscape elements essential to hibian movability at the regional scale, namely i) forest edges, ii) wet-forest habitats, iii) soils with variable moisture and iv) riparian zones. Our work shows that cities can make a substantial contribution (e.g., up to 15% of urban space in the study area) to wider landscape habitat connectivity. We highlight the importance of planning BGI locally in strategic locations across urban and peri-urban areas to promote the permeability and availability of 'stepping stone' habitats in densely populated landscapes, essential to the maintenance of regional habitat connectivity and thereby enhancing bio ersity and ecosystem functioning.
Technological advances and applications of geothermal energy pile foundations and their feasibility in Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2010
Supporting the planning of urban blue-green infrastructure for biodiversity: A multi-scale prioritisation framework
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2023
Modelling transitions in urban water systems
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2017.09.039
Abstract: Long term planning of urban water infrastructure requires acknowledgement that transitions in the water system are driven by changes in the urban environment, as well as societal dynamics. Inherent to the complexity of these underlying processes is that the dynamics of a system's evolution cannot be explained by linear cause-effect relationships and cannot be predicted under narrow sets of assumptions. Planning therefore needs to consider the functional behaviour and performance of integrated flexible infrastructure systems under a wide range of future conditions. This paper presents the first step towards a new generation of integrated planning tools that take such an exploratory planning approach. The spatially explicit model, denoted DAnCE4Water, integrates urban development patterns, water infrastructure changes and the dynamics of socio-institutional changes. While the in idual components of the DAnCE4Water model (i.e. modules for simulation of urban development, societal dynamics and evolution erformance of water infrastructure) have been developed elsewhere, this paper presents their integration into a single model. We explain the modelling framework of DAnCE4Water, its potential utility and its software implementation. The integrated model is validated for the case study of an urban catchment located in Melbourne, Australia.
Redefining the stormwater first flush phenomenon
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2010
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2010.01.022
Abstract: The first flush in urban runoff has been an important, yet disputed phenomenon amongst many researchers. The vast differences in the evidence could be solely due to limitations of the first flush current definition and the approach used for its assessment. There is a need for revisiting the first flush theory in the light of its practical applications to urban drainage management practices. We propose that a catchment's first flush behaviour is to be quantified by the runoff volume required to reduce a catchment's stormwater pollutant concentrations to background levels. The proposed method for assessment of this runoff volume starts by finding the average catchment pollutant concentrations for a given increment of discharged volume using a number of event pollutographs. Non-parametric statistics are then used to establish the characteristic pollutograph by pooling statistically indifferent runoff increments (known as slices) together. This allows the identification of the catchment's initial and background pollutant concentrations and for quantification of the first flush volume and its strength. The novel technique was used on seven catchments around Melbourne, Australia, with promising results. Sensitivity to the chosen increment of runoff (for which mean concentrations are calculated) indicated that when dealing with discrete flow-weighted water quality data, a suitable slice size should closely match the flow-weighting of s les. The overall sensitivity to runoff increment and level of significance was found to be negligible. Further research is needed to fully develop this method.
Evaluating the reliability of stormwater treatment systems under various future climate conditions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2019
Multi-scale stormwater harvesting to enhance urban resilience to climate change impacts and natural disasters
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 06-2022
DOI: 10.2166/BGS.2022.008
Abstract: Stormwater harvesting systems are a viable option to adapt cities to cope with climate change and reduce pressure on water supply services. This is particularly crucial in the event of natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, floods), where large parts of cities may become disconnected from a secure water supply for prolonged time periods. We demonstrate how optimum location, density and storage size can be determined using UrbanBEATS, a spatial planning-support system for planning and design of sustainable Blue-Green Infrastructure strategies. We investigate the Ōtākaro/Avon River catchment, Christchurch, New Zealand for the time periods 2011–2020, 2041–2050 and 2091–2100 (for the RCP 8.5 climate change scenario). For targets of 30% of potable water substitution and 70% storage volumetric reliability, we found that stormwater harvesting systems in all climate scenarios required a larger capacity compared to the baseline. Most storages achieved their set targets and were larger than the municipality's recommended 9 m3 for flood inundation, indicating that the identified storages would also reduce minor flooding while ensuring water savings. A shift in the spatial layout of modelled systems from highly distributed to more centralised, however, raises a potential conflict with disaster resilience where more local solutions would be preferable.
Framing water sensitive urban design as part of the urban form: A critical review of tools for best planning practice
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2017
Not all SuDS are created equal: Impact of different approaches on combined sewer overflows
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2021
Building effective Planning Support Systems for green urban water infrastructure—Practitioners’ perceptions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2018
Revisiting land use classification and spatial aggregation for modelling integrated urban water systems
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2015
Impact of Hybrid Water Supply on the Centralised Water System
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 04-11-2017
DOI: 10.3390/W9110855
Planning support systems for strategic implementation of nature-based solutions in the global south: Current role and future potential in Indonesia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
Modelling to Support the Planning of Sustainable Urban Water Systems
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 09-2019
Effects of Implementing Decentralized Water Supply Systems in Existing Centralized Systems
Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
Date: 18-05-2017
A rapid urban flood inundation and damage assessment model
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2018
A Research Agenda for the Future of Urban Water Management: Exploring the Potential of Nongrid, Small-Grid, and Hybrid Solutions
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 04-2020
Stormwater pollutant runoff: A stochastic approach
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2014
Quantifying the benefits of stormwater harvesting for pollution mitigation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.WATRES.2019.115395
Abstract: Stormwater harvesting (SWH) provides multiple benefits to urban water management. Other than providing water for human use, it also reduces the volume of polluted stormwater discharge to the environment. There are currently no methods available to quantify the additional environmental benefits, which could encourage greater uptake of the practice. This paper investigates a number of factors (climate and catchment characteristics, pollutant reduction targets, etc.) that could impact upon the benefits of SWH for pollution reduction through sensitivity analyses. A method was developed and tested for quantification of the pollution mitigation benefits by SWH under different scenarios. A novel indicator, Impervious Area Offset (IAO), was proposed to reflect the additional impervious area that can be left untreated to achieve the equivalent pollution load reduction targets due to the introduction of SWH. Results indicate significant correlations (p < 0.01) between IAO values and extraction rate (proportion of total annual runoff removed due to the harvesting system and water use substitution), system type, and pollutant reduction targets. The proposed linear empirical relationships between IAO values and extraction rate for different types of system configurations and pollution reduction targets were well represented by observed linear regression (average R
The development of a novel approach for assessment of the first flush in urban stormwater discharges
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 05-2010
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2010.209
Abstract: The management of stormwater pollution has placed particular emphasis on the first flush phenomenon. However, definition and current methods of analyses of the phenomena contain serious limitations, the most important being their inability to capture a possible impact of the event size (total event volume) on the first flush. This paper presents the development of a novel approach in defining and assessing the first flush that should overcome these problems. The phenomenon is present in a catchment if the decrease in pollution concentration with the absolute cumulative volume of runoff from the catchment is statistically significant. Using data from seven erse catchments around Melbourne, Australia, changes in pollutant concentrations for Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Total Nitrogen (TN) were calculated over the absolute cumulative runoff and aggregated from a collection of different storm events. Due to the discrete nature of the water quality data, each concentration was calculated as a flow-weighted average at 2 mm runoff volume increments. The aggregated concentrations recorded in each increment (termed as a ‘slice’ of runoff) were statistically compared to each other across the absolute cumulative runoff volume. A first flush is then defined as the volume at which concentrations reach the ‘background concentration’ (i.e. the statistically significant minimum). Initial results clearly highlight first flush and background concentrations in all but one catchment supporting the validity of this new approach. Future work will need to address factors, which will help assess the first flush's magnitude and volume. Sensitivity testing and correlation with catchment characteristics should also be undertaken.
Green infrastructures for urban water system: Balance between cities and nature
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-05-2020
DOI: 10.3390/W12051456
Abstract: Urban water systems face severe challenges such as urbanisation, population growth and climate change. Traditional technical solutions, i.e., pipe-based, grey infrastructure, have a single purpose and are proven to be unsustainable compared to multi-purpose nature-based solutions. Green Infrastructure encompasses on-site stormwater management practices, which, in contrast to the centralised grey infrastructure, are often decentralised. Technologies such as green roofs, walls, trees, infiltration trenches, wetlands, rainwater harvesting and permeable pavements exhibit multi-functionality. They are capable of reducing stormwater runoff, retaining stormwater in the landscape, preserving the natural water balance, enhancing local climate resilience and also delivering ecological, social and community services. Creating multi-functional, multiple-benefit systems, however, also warrants multidisciplinary approaches involving landscape architects, urban planners, engineers and more to successfully create a balance between cities and nature. This Special Issue aims to bridge this multidisciplinary research gap by collecting recent challenges and opportunities from on-site systems up to the watershed scale.
Stormwater management impacts of small urbanising towns: The necessity of investigating the ‘devil in the detail’
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Sewer asset management – state of the art and research needs
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 21-10-2019
A Simplified Sanitary Sewer System Generator for Exploratory Modelling at City-Scale
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2022
A planning algorithm for quantifying decentralised water management opportunities in urban environments
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 10-2013
DOI: 10.2166/WST.2013.437
Abstract: With global change bringing about greater challenges for the resilient planning and management of urban water infrastructure, research has been invested in the development of a strategic planning tool, DAnCE4Water. The tool models how urban and societal changes impact the development of centralised and decentralised (distributed) water infrastructure. An algorithm for rigorous assessment of suitable decentralised stormwater management options in the model is presented and tested on a local Melbourne catchment. Following detailed spatial representation algorithms (defined by planning rules), the model assesses numerous stormwater options to meet water quality targets at a variety of spatial scales. A multi-criteria assessment algorithm is used to find top-ranking solutions (which meet a specific treatment performance for a user-defined percentage of catchment imperviousness). A toolbox of five stormwater technologies (infiltration systems, surface wetlands, bioretention systems, ponds and swales) is featured. Parameters that set the algorithm's flexibility to develop possible management options are assessed and evaluated. Results are expressed in terms of ‘utilisation’, which characterises the frequency of use of different technologies across the top-ranking options (bioretention being the most versatile). Initial results highlight the importance of selecting a suitable spatial resolution and providing the model with enough flexibility for coming up with different technology combinations. The generic nature of the model enables its application to other urban areas (e.g. different catchments, local municipal regions or entire cities).
A Low-Cost Water Depth and Electrical Conductivity Sensor for Detecting Inputs into Urban Stormwater Networks
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-04-2021
DOI: 10.3390/S21093056
Abstract: High-resolution data collection of the urban stormwater network is crucial for future asset management and illicit discharge detection, but often too expensive as sensors and ongoing frequent maintenance works are not affordable. We developed an integrated water depth, electrical conductivity (EC), and temperature sensor that is inexpensive (USD 25), low power, and easily implemented in urban drainage networks. Our low-cost sensor reliably measures the rate-of-change of water level without any re-calibration by comparing with industry-standard instruments such as HACH and HORIBA’s probes. To overcome the observed drift of level sensors, we developed an automated re-calibration approach, which significantly improved its accuracy. For applications like monitoring stormwater drains, such an approach will make higher-resolution sensing feasible from the budget control considerations, since the regular sensor re-calibration will no longer be required. For other applications like monitoring wetlands or wastewater networks, a manual re-calibration every two weeks is required to limit the sensor’s inaccuracies to ±10 mm. Apart from only being used as a calibrator for the level sensor, the conductivity sensor in this study adequately monitored EC between 0 and 10 mS/cm with a 17% relative uncertainty, which is sufficient for stormwater monitoring, especially for real-time detection of poor stormwater quality inputs. Overall, our proposed sensor can be rapidly and densely deployed in the urban drainage network for revolutionised high-density monitoring that cannot be achieved before with high-end loggers and sensors.
Modelling characteristics of the urban form to support water systems planning
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2018
Testing of new stormwater pollution build-up algorithms informed by a genetic programming approach
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2019.04.009
Abstract: Pollution build-up and wash-off processes are often included in urban stormwater quality models. However, these models are often unreliable and have poor performance at large scales and in complicated catchments. This study tried to improve stormwater quality models by adopting the genetic programming (GP) approach to generate new build-up algorithms for three different pollutants (total suspend solids - TSS, total phosphorus - TP and total nitrogen - TN). This was followed by testing of the new models (also traditional build-up and wash-off models as benchmark) using data collected from different catchments in Australia and the USA. The GP approach informed new sets of build-up algorithms with the inclusion of not just the typical antecedent dry weather period (ADWP), but also other less 'traditional' variables - previous rainfall depth for TSS and maximum air temperatures for TP and TN simulation. The traditional models had relatively poor performance (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient, E < 0.0), except for TP at Gilby Road (GR) (E = 0.21 in calibration and 0.43 in validation). Improved performance was observed using the models with new build-up algorithms informed by GP. Taking TP at GR for ex le, the best performing model had E of 0.46 in calibration and 0.54 in validation. The best performing models for TSS, TP, and TN are often different, suggesting that specific models shall be used for different pollutants. Insights into further improvements possible for stormwater quality models were given. It is recommended that in addition to the typical build-up and wash-off process, new generations of stormwater quality models should be able to account for the non-conventional pollutant sources (e.g. cross-connections, septic tank leakage, illegal discharges) through stochastic approaches. Emission inventories with information like intensity-frequency-duration (IFD) of pollutant loads from each type of non-conventional source are suggested to be built for stochastic modelling.
Understanding spatiotemporal variability of in-stream water quality in urban environments – A case study of Melbourne, Australia
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2019.06.006
Abstract: To support sustainable urban planning and the design of water pollution mitigation strategies, the spatial and temporal trends of water quality in urban streams needs to be further understood. This study analyses over ten years of surface water quality data from 53 upstream catchments (20 of them predominated by a single type of land use) and two lowland sites across Greater Melbourne, Australia. We evaluated the impact of various catchment characteristics, especially urban land uses, on spatial and temporal urban water quality trends. Here, we focused on common urban pollutants: total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorous (TP), total nitrogen (TN), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni). Site median nutrient and heavy metal concentrations were negatively correlated with the catchment's elevation and its average annual rainfall. Further analysis shows that such trends were driven by the geographical pattern of Melbourne - i.e. low-laying sites tend to have less rainfall and be more urbanised. Only median concentrations of heavy metals (Zn and Cu) were correlated to catchment imperviousness. Further characterising of the urban environment was done into specific land uses (residential, industrial and commercial), yet median concentrations of all pollutants were not significantly correlated with land uses. This is because simple metrics, such as land use proportions, do not adequately reflect the significant variability in pollution sources that can exist even within the same land use type. Indeed, our temporal analysis found that the water quality difference between catchments with similar land uses is likely caused by their site-specific pollutant sources (construction and illegal discharge) and environmental management actions (wastewater management actions) regardless of similarities in land use. A 3-stage urbanisation cycle (development, operation and renewal) is suggested to further explain the urban water quality variance, but more data from small areas of an urban catchment is required to directly understand the unique impact of each urbanisation stage on water quality.
Designing and implementing a multi-core capable integrated urban drainage modelling Toolkit:Lessons from CityDrain3
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2016
A Geospatial Database for Effective Mine Rehabilitation in Australia
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 22-08-2020
DOI: 10.3390/MIN10090745
Abstract: The Australian landscape is affected by abandoned mines that pose environmental, public health and safety risks. To promote the beneficial reuse, rehabilitation and/or remediation of these sites and understand their spatial arrangement, we compiled, classified and analysed a country-wide geospatial database of all known inactive hard rock mine sites. Following extensive review and classification of disparate records of such sites that have been terminated, neglected or classified as heritage, plus those under care and maintenance in Australia, we assessed state-by-state reporting and cross-border rehabilitation requirements. This was enabled by the development of the Mining Incidence Documentation & Assessment Scheme (MIDAS) that can be used to catalogue and compare active or inactive mine data regardless of reporting conventions. At a national level, and with four case studies, we performed GIS-based spatial analyses and environmental risk assessments to demonstrate potential uses of our database. Analyses considered the proximity of sites to factors such as infrastructure and sensitive environmental receptors. As Australia struggles to manage the ongoing technical, socioeconomic and environmental challenges of effective mine rehabilitation, the insights enabled by this national-level spatial database may be key to developing coordinated responses that extend beyond state boundaries. Our classification and methodology are easily transferable, thereby encouraging more formalized, systematic and widespread documentation of abandoned mines worldwide.
A spatial planning-support system for generating decentralised urban stormwater management schemes
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2020
Integrating CFD-GIS modelling to refine urban heat and thermal comfort assessment
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2023
Blue Green Systems for urban heat mitigation: mechanisms, effectiveness and research directions
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Date: 12-2022
DOI: 10.2166/BGS.2022.028
Abstract: Reflected in the growing body of literature, urban heat mitigation is increasingly relevant as cities experience extreme heat, exacerbated by climate change and rapid urbanisation. Most studies focus on urban–rural temperature differences, known as the Urban Heat Island, which does not provide insight into urban heat dynamics. Here, we synthesise current knowledge on spatio-temporal variations of heat sources and sinks, showing that a targeted and absolute understanding of urban heat dynamics rather than an urban–rural comparison should be encouraged. We discuss mechanisms of heat sinks for microclimate control, provide a clear classification of Blue Green Systems and evaluate current knowledge of their effectiveness in urban heat mitigation. We consider planning and optimisation aspects of Blue Green Infrastructure (greenery and water bodies/features), interactions with hard surfaces and practices that ensure space and water availability. Blue Green Systems can positively affect urban microclimates, especially when strategically planned to achieve synergies. Effectiveness is governed by their dominant cooling mechanisms that show diurnal and seasonal variability and depend upon background climatic conditions and characteristics of surrounding urban areas. Situationally appropriate combination of various types of Blue Green Systems and their connectivity increases heat mitigation potential while providing multiple ecosystem services but requires further research.
Reliability of Infrared Thermography in Detecting Leaks in Buried Water Reticulation Pipes
Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
Date: 09-2017
Using satellite imagery to investigate Blue-Green Infrastructure establishment time for urban cooling
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2023
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100042
Start Date: 2017
End Date: 12-2019
Amount: $360,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityDiscovery Projects - Grant ID: DP210103704
Start Date: 2022
End Date: 12-2024
Amount: $390,000.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityLinkage Projects - Grant ID: LP160100241
Start Date: 07-2017
End Date: 12-2020
Amount: $319,052.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity