Automated modelling of urban runoff based on domain knowledge and equation discovery

Radinja, Matej (author), Škerjanec, Mateja (author), Šraj, Mojca (author), Džeroski, Sašo (author), Todorovski, Ljupčo (author), Atanasova, Nataša (author)

Modelling tools are widely used to analyse the urban drainage systems and to simulate the effects of future urban development and stormwater control measures. Usually, these tools use only one mathematical model (predetermined by the modeller) at a time to describe a single hydrological process within the urban catchment. When there are alternative mathematical models for describing the same hydrological process, their suitability needs to be investigated separately, which makes the modelling task even more complex, time consuming and open for human errors. Furthermore, models have to be calibrated to achieve a better fit between measured and simulated runoff. Calibration can be performed either manually, by using a trial-and-error approach, or by employing search techniques and parameter optimization tools. To overcome the drawbacks associated with manual selection and calibration of models, automated modelling based on equation discovery was used in this study to a) find the most suitable mathematical model among multiple alternatives for describing every (environmental) process modelled and b) to calibrate the model parameters against measured data. First, knowledge on urban runoff modelling was formalized into a new library of modelling components, compliant with the equation discovery tool ProBMoT (Process Based Modelling Tool). Next, a conceptual model of the experimental urban sub-catchment within the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia, was defined. ProBMoT was used to find the structure and parameters values of alternative rainfall-runoff models, according to the defined conceptual model that provide optimal fit against pipe flow measurements. Three alternative methods were used to describe infiltration: the SCS CN method, the Variable UK runoff equation, and the UK Water Industry Research equation. The proposed automated model discovery approach for finding the optimal rainfall-runoff model proved to be very efficient. Nine rainfall-runoff models were created with very good performance. The best performance was achieved by the models that used a combination of two different infiltration methods, i.e. the SCS CN infiltration method for the pervious area and one of the other two infiltration methods for the impervious area.

• Language: English
• Keywords: urban runoff, rainfall-runoff model, automated modelling, domain knowledge, equation discovery
• Work type: Scientific work
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Submitted for review: 22.02.2021
• Article acceptance date: 11.10.2021
• Publication date: 22.10.2021
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: [12] str.
• Numbering: Letn. 603 (part C)
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-133029
• UDC: 556
• ISSN on article: 0022-1694
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127077
• COBISS.SI-ID: 83909123
• Publication date in RUL: 08.11.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of hydrology
• Shortened title: J. hydrol.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0022-1694
• COBISS.SI-ID: 25750784

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: urbani površinski odtok, model površinskega odtoka, avtomatizirano modeliranje, domensko znanje

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0180
• Name: Vodarstvo in geotehnika: orodja in metode za analize in simulacije procesov ter razvoj tehnologij.