Author(s): Gaetano Crispino, Michael Pfister, Corrado Gisonni
Linked Author(s): Massimo Manna
Keywords: Hydraulic design, sewer manhole, junction manhole, supercritical flow, discharge capacity.
Abstract: An adequate operation of combined sewer systems is related to the efficiency of sewer manholes. Sometimes, sewer manholes are designed to convey safely storm water discharges with a return period shorter than the infrastructure life time. In other cases, the manhole discharge capacity is sufficient but the flow structure established in the manhole leads to unacceptable free-surface flow conditions. This poor performance may easily occur in junction manholes, which merge two or more upstream branches into a single downstream collector. The hydraulic behavior of junction manholes under sub- and supercritical flows has been thoroughly studied in the past, mainly on an experimental basis. However, former studies are all referred to a standard junction manhole layout, with a constant diameter assigned to both up- and downstream branches along with a flat manhole invert. Contrarily, diversified set-ups are usually employed in practical cases. Upstream sewer branches are generally characterized by various cross-section profiles. Moreover, the good design practice recommends settling the concerned branches by aligning the branch tops, in order to avoid backwater effects. Given the above, advancement in design procedures for junction manholes is strongly required, mainly with regard to the discharge capacity of junctions characterized by generalized configurations. The present study considers the results of experimental campaigns performed on different physical models of junction manholes. A communal structure with a junction manhole approached by two circular upstream branches, with variable diameters, is considered. Then, junction angles and upstream branch diameters are varied, resulting in different manhole set-ups with inlet bottom drops or top offsets. Selected overload experimental runs are performed to investigate the hydraulic conditions under which the manhole discharge capacity is exceeded. The analysis of the experimental data allowed in outlining a preliminary comparison of discharge capacity of junctions with generalized layouts
Year: 2017