Design of Stormwater Sewer

Networks
CIVL 5995 Project I

Ahmad Sana
Department of Civil and Architectural
Engineering
Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

Separate Sanitary and stormwater sewer

systems

Stormwater sewer system

Types of inlet

Types of inlet

Typical Storm Sewer with HGL and EGL

Design of Sewer Network

A sewer system is a network of pipes used
to convey storm runoff and/or wastewater
in an area.
The design of sewer system involves the
determination of
diameters,
slopes, and
crown or invert elevations for each pipe in the
system

Design Criteria

Storm water quantities to be transported are

determined with the Rational method (other
methods are available as well).
Indicate what design frequency (return period)
is used
Determine the rainfall intensity - duration
curve for the required frequency
Indicate runoff coefficients to be used in
Rational method
Generally Mannings formula is used for the
design of storm sewers

Constraints and assumptions

To prevent or reduce excessive deposition of

solid material in the sewers, a minimum
permissible flow velocity at design discharge
or at barely full-pipe gravity flow is specified
To prevent scour and other undesirable
effects of high-velocity flow, a maximum
permissible flow velocity is also specified
At any junction or manhole, the downstream
sewer cannot be smaller than any of the
upstream sewers at that junction
The sewer system is a dendritic, or branching,
network converging in the downstream
direction without closed loops

Main Specifications
Minimum velocity (self-cleansing velocity) = 0.6 m/s
Maximum velocity = 3.5 m/s
Minimum pipe diameter = 150 mm.
Unlike sanitary sewers, storm sewers are allowed to
flow full.
Storm sewers are even allowed to have surcharge
(pressurized flow) as long as energy grade line
remains below a certain level (as per local
specifications) with respect to ground surface.

Design Steps
Step 1 - Topographical map

Obtain or develop a map of the contributing area

Add location and level of existing or proposed details
such as:
Contours
Physical features (e.g. wadis)
Road layout
Buildings
Sewers and other services
Outfall point (e.g. near lowest point, next to
receiving water body)

Design Steps
Step 2 - Preliminary horizontal
layout
Sketch preliminary system layout (horizontal
alignment):
locate pipes so that all potential users can
readily connect into the system
try to locate pipes perpendicular to contours
try to follow natural drainage patterns
locate manholes in readily-accessible positions

Step 3- Preliminary sewer sizing

Establish preliminary pipe sizes and gradients

Design Steps
Step 4 - Preliminary vertical layout
Draw preliminary longitudinal profiles (vertical
alignment):
Ensure pipes are deep enough so all users can
connect into the system
try to locate pipes parallel to the ground surface
ensure pipes arrive above outfall level
avoid pumping if possible

Step 5 - Revise layout

Revise the horizontal and/or vertical alignment to
minimize system cost by reducing pipe:
Lengths
Sizes
depths