Effect of Rainfall Distribution Types of Moving Rainstorms on Surface Runoff

Based on the kinematic wave equations, the influence of moving rainstorms on the surface runoff were analyzed with a focus on the rainfall distribution types. Applied hypothetical rainfall distribution types of moving rainstorms used are uniform, advanced, delayed and intermediate type. The moving rainstorm velocities applied in this study were of moving upstream and downstream direction of plane surface. Simulations were undertaken by varying the rainfall distribution type, moving rainstorm velocity and moving direction, and the results were compared with that of stationary rainfall. The results indicate significant differences in peak discharges and hydrograph shapes for moving rainstorms of various rainfall patterns and moving directions. It shows that the moving rainstorms of downstream direction generate the largest peak runoff at all rainfall distributions. The sensitivity of runoff to rainfall distribution types decreases as storm velocity increases. It is clear that faster rainstorm velocity generates faster peak time and becomes thin hydrographs rapidly.