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S-Curve Method: Chapter Two

The S-curve method can be used to generate a unit hydrograph (UH) of any duration D' from an existing UH of duration D. It works by adding copies of the UH of duration D that are lagged by D hours to create an S-curve. Then a copy of the S-curve is lagged by D' hours and subtracted to get a hydrograph. This hydrograph is then multiplied by D/D' and represents the UH of duration D'. The example demonstrates converting a 2-hour UH to a 3-hour UH using this S-curve method.

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234 views14 pages

S-Curve Method: Chapter Two

The S-curve method can be used to generate a unit hydrograph (UH) of any duration D' from an existing UH of duration D. It works by adding copies of the UH of duration D that are lagged by D hours to create an S-curve. Then a copy of the S-curve is lagged by D' hours and subtracted to get a hydrograph. This hydrograph is then multiplied by D/D' and represents the UH of duration D'. The example demonstrates converting a 2-hour UH to a 3-hour UH using this S-curve method.

Uploaded by

eric dele
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Chapter Two

S-curve method
UH Lagging
A UH has a particular duration, D. Unit hydrographs are linear, they can be
added, for example, to generate a hydrograph for a storm 2x, 3x, 4x, etc. … longer

1–hr UH

2–hr UH

The linear property of a UH can be used to generate a UH of a larger


duration. Here two copies of a 1-hour UH are lagged by 1-hr and added,
then the ordinates are divided by 2, to make a 2-hour UH (1 inch over
two hours).
However this lagging method is restricted to integer multiples of the
original duration.
S –curve method

S –curve method works for any duration. The first step is to add a series
of UH’s of duration D, each lagged by time period D, This corresponds to
the runoff hydrograph from a continuous rainfall excess intensity of 1/D
inches/hour.
S –curve method works for any duration, D’

By shifting a copy of the S-curve by D’ hours, and subtracting the ordinates, the
resulting hydrograph (dashed line - - - - - - ) must be due to rainfall of intensity 1/D
inches/hour that lasts for a duration of D’ hours.

To convert the hydrograph (dashed line - - - - -) to a UH, multiply ordinates by D/D’


,resulting in a UH of duration D’. D’ need NOT be an integral multiple of D.
Example 2-4
• Convert the following 2-hr UH to a 3-hr UH
using the S-curve Method
____________________________________________________
TIME (hr) 2-hr UH Ordinate (cfs)________
.
0 0
1 75
2 250
3 300
4 275
5 200
6 100
7 75
8 50
9 25
10 0
• Make a spreadsheet with the 2-hr UH ordinates, then
copy them in the next column lagged by D=2 hours.
Keep adding columns until the row sums are fairly
constant. The sums are the ordinates of your S-curve.
Draw your S-curve, it looks like the upper curve.

Figure E2-4
• Copy your S-curve ordinates into a new spreadsheet,
then copy the same ordinates D’=3 time units down.
Calculate the difference, then multiply by D/D’ ,here =
2/3, to get your 3 hour UH.
Why multiply by a correction factor?
• Here the original UH was for a 2-hour storm, and we
need a UH for a 3-hour storm.
• A 2-hour UH is for a storm with 1/2 in/hr for 2 hours
• A 3-hour UH is for a storm with 1/3 in/hr for 3 hours
• 1/2 x 2/3 = 1/3
• For each s-curves difference of lagged UHs , multiply
the ordinates by D /D’ to get the correct UH
Review of this method
• Let’s look at the example again.
• Here are the two copies of your S-curve based
on a sum of 2-hr UHs. The second copy is
lagged by D’=3 hours.
• Calculate the difference, and re-scale the
difference by D/D’
• Plot the new ordinates, and here is your new
3 hour UH, or whatever D’ you need
Prediction
• This method provides a hydrograph that predicts the
behavior of a flood from a storm of any duration

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