HydraulicDesignManual:TimeofConcentration
Section11:TimeofConcentration
Timeofconcentration(tc)isthetimerequiredforanentirewatershedtocontributetorunoffatthepointof
interestforhydraulicdesignthistimeiscalculatedasthetimeforrunofftoflowfromthemosthydraulically
remotepointofthedrainageareatothepointunderinvestigation.Traveltimeandtcarefunctionsoflength
andvelocityforaparticularwatercourse.Alongbutsteepflowpathwithahighvelocitymayactuallyhavea
shortertraveltimethanashortbutrelativelyflatflowpath.Theremaybemultiplepathstoconsiderin
determiningthelongesttraveltime.Thedesignermustidentifytheflowpathalongwhichthelongesttravel
timeislikelytooccur.
Inwatershedswithlow(flat)topographicslope,thecalculationoftcusingcommonlyacceptedequationswith
slopeinthedenominatoroftenresultsinunreasonablylargevalues.Thatis,astheslopeapproacheszero,the
traveltimeapproachesinfinity.Inaddition,sinceintensityisafunctionofdepthdividedbytc,alongtc
producesaverysmallintensityandthussmallflowrate.Clevelandetal.2012recommendsanadjustmentof
0.0005totheslopeinboththeKerbyandKirpichmethodstoallowmorerealisticresultsforlowtopographic
slopewatersheds.
TheadjustedslopebecomesSlowslope=S0+0.0005(dimensionless)
Iftheslopeislessthan0.002ft/ft(0.2%),alowslopeconditionexistsandtheadjustedslopeshould
beused.
Iftheslopeisbetween0.002ft/ft(0.2%)and0.003ft/ft(0.3%),thesituationistransitionalandthe
usermustusejudgmentonwhetherornottousethelowslopeadjustment.
Whenrunoffiscomputedusingtherationalmethod,tcistheappropriatestormdurationandinturndetermines
theappropriateprecipitationintensity.
Whenpeakdischargeandstreamflowtimingarecomputedusingthehydrographmethod,tcisusedtocompute
certainrainfallrunoffparametersforthewatershed.Thevalueoftcisusedasaninputtodefinethe
appropriatestormdurationandappropriateprecipitationdepth.
Whenapplicable,theKerbyKirpichmethod(Rousseletal.2005)istobeusedforestimatingtc.TheNational
ResourcesConservationService(1986)methodisalsocommonlyusedandacceptable.Bothofthesemethods
estimatetcasthesumoftraveltimesfordiscreteflowregimes.
KerbyKirpichMethod
Rousseletal.2005concludethat,ingeneral,Kirpichinclusiveapproaches,[andparticularly]theKerby
Kirpichapproach,forestimatingwatershedtimeofconcentrationarepreferable.TheKerbyKirpichapproach
requirescomparativelyfewinputparameters,isstraightforwardtoapply,andproducesreadilyinterpretable
results.TheKerbyKirpichapproachproducestimeofconcentrationestimatesconsistentwithwatershedtime
valuesindependentlyderivedfromrealworldstormsandrunoffhydrographs.Similartoothermethodsfor
calculationoftc,thetotaltimeofconcentrationisobtainedbyaddingtheoverlandflowtime(Kerby)andthe
channelflowtime(Kirpich):
Equation413.
Where:
t =overlandflowtime
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tov=overlandflowtime
tch=channelflowtime
TheKerbyKirpichmethodforestimatingtcisapplicabletowatershedsrangingfrom0.25squaremilesto150
squaremiles,mainchannellengthsbetween1and50miles,andmainchannelslopesbetween0.002and0.02
(ft/ft)(Rousseletal.2005).
Mainchannelslopeiscomputedasthechangeinelevationfromthewatersheddividetothewatershedoutlet
dividedbythecurvilineardistanceofthemainchannel(primaryflowpath)betweenthewatersheddivideand
theoutlet.
Nowatershedswithlowtopographicslopesareavailableintheunderlyingdatabase.Therefore,theKerbyand
Kerpichmethodsarenotusuallyapplicabletowatershedswithlimitedtopographicslope.However,Cleveland
etal.2012makesrecommendationsforadjustmentstothemethodtoallowmorerealisticresultsforlow
topographicslopewatersheds.SeeTimeofConcentration.
TheKerbyMethod
Forsmallwatershedswhereoverlandflowisanimportantcomponentofoveralltraveltime,theKerbymethod
canbeused.TheKerbyequationis
Equation414.
Where:
tov=overlandflowtimeofconcentration,inminutes
K=aunitsconversioncoefficient,inwhichK=0.828fortraditionalunitsandK=1.44forSIunits
L=theoverlandflowlength,infeetormetersasdictatedbyK
N=adimensionlessretardancecoefficient
S=thedimensionlessslopeofterrainconveyingtheoverlandflow
InthedevelopmentoftheKerbyequation,thelengthofoverlandflowwasasmuchas1,200feet(366meters).
Hence,thislengthisconsideredanupperlimitandshortervaluesinpracticegenerallyareexpected.The
dimensionlessretardancecoefficientusedissimilarinconcepttothewellknownManning'sroughness
coefficienthowever,foragiventypeofsurface,theretardancecoefficientforoverlandflowwillbe
considerablylargerthanforopenchannelflow.TypicalvaluesfortheretardancecoefficientarelistedinTable
45.Rousseletal.2005recommendsthattheusershouldnotinterpolatetheretardancecoefficientsinTable4
5.Ifitisdeterminedthatalowslopeconditionoratransitionalslopeconditionexists,theusershouldconsider
usinganadjustedslopeincalculatingthetimeofconcentration.SeeTimeofConcentration.
Table45:KerbyEquationRetardanceCoefficientValues
Generalizedterraindescription
Dimensionlessretardancecoefficient(N)
Pavement
0.02
Smooth,bare,packedsoil
0.10
Poorgrass,cultivatedrowcrops,ormoderately
roughpackedsurfaces
0.20
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Pasture,averagegrass
0.40
Deciduousforest
0.60
Densegrass,coniferousforest,ordeciduousforest
withdeeplitter
0.80
TheKirpichMethod
Forchannelflowcomponentofrunoff,theKirpichequationis:
Equation415.
Where:
tch=thetimeofconcentration,inminutes
K=aunitsconversioncoefficient,inwhichK=0.0078fortraditionalunitsandK=0.0195forSI
units
L=thechannelflowlength,infeetormetersasdictatedbyK
S=thedimensionlessmainchannelslope
Ifitisdeterminedthatalowslopeconditionoratransitionalslopeconditionexists,theusershould
considerusinganadjustedslopeincalculatingthetimeofconcentration.SeeTimeofConcentration.
ApplicationoftheKerbyKirpichMethod
Anexample(shownbelow)illustratingapplicationoftheKerbyKirpichmethodisinformative.Forexample,
supposeahydraulicdesignisneededtoconveyrunofffromasmallwatershedwithadrainageareaof0.5
squaremiles.Onthebasisoffieldexaminationandtopographicmaps,thelengthofthemainchannelfromthe
watershedoutlet(thedesignpoint)tothewatersheddivideis5,280feet.Elevationofthewatershedatthe
outletis700feet.Fromatopographicmap,elevationalongthemainchannelatthewatersheddivideis
estimatedtobe750feet.Theanalystassumesthatoverlandflowwillhaveanappreciablecontributiontothe
timeofconcentrationforthewatershed.Theanalystestimatesthatthelengthofoverlandflowisabout500
feetandthattheslopefortheoverlandflowcomponentis2percent(S=0.02).Thearearepresentingoverland
flowisaveragegrass(N=0.40).Fortheoverlandflowtc,theanalystappliestheKerbyequation,
fromwhichtovisabout25minutes.Forthechanneltch,theanalystappliestheKirpichequation,butfirst
dimensionlessmainchannelslopeisrequired,
orabout1percent.ThevalueforslopeandthechannellengthareusedintheKirpichequation,
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orabout1percent.ThevalueforslopeandthechannellengthareusedintheKirpichequation,
fromwhichtchisabout32minutes.Becausetheoverlandflowtovisusedforthiswatershed,thesubtractionof
theoverlandflowlengthfromtheoverallmainchannellength(watersheddividetooutlet)isnecessaryand
reflectedinthecalculation.Addingtheoverlandflowandchannelflowcomponentsofgivesawatershedof
about57minutes.Finally,asaquickcheck,theanalystcanevaluatethetcbyusinganadhocmethod
representingtc,inhours,asthesquarerootofdrainagearea,insquaremiles.Fortheexample,thesquareroot
ofthedrainageareayieldsatcestimateofabout0.71hoursorabout42minutes,whichisreasonablycloseto
57minutes.However,57minutesispreferable.ThisexampleisshowninFigure47.
Figure47.ExampleapplicationofKerbyKirpichmethod
NaturalResourcesConservationService(NRCS)MethodforEstimatingtc
TheNRCSmethodforestimatingtcisapplicableforsmallwatersheds,inwhichthemajorityofflowis
overlandflowsuchthattimingofthepeakflowisnotsignificantlyaffectedbythecontributionflowrouted
throughundergroundstormdrainsystems.WiththeNRCSmethod:
Equation416.
Where:
tsh=sheetflowtraveltime
tsc=shallowconcentratedflowtraveltime
tch=channelflowtraveltime
NRCS1986providesthefollowingdescriptionsoftheseflowcomponents:
Sheetflowisflowoverplanesurfaces,usuallyoccurringintheheadwaterofstreams.Withsheetflow,the
frictionvalueisaneffectiveroughnesscoefficientthatincludestheeffectofraindropimpactdragoverthe
planesurfaceobstaclessuchaslitter,cropridges,androcksanderosionandtransportationofsediment.
Sheetflowusuallybecomesshallowconcentratedflowafteraround100feet.
Openchannelsareassumedtobeginwheresurveyedcrosssectioninformationhasbeenobtained,where
channelsarevisibleonaerialphotographs,orwherebluelines(indicatingstreams)appearonUSGS
quadranglesheets.
Foropenchannelflow,considertheuniformflowvelocitybasedonbankfullflowconditions.Thatis,the
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Foropenchannelflow,considertheuniformflowvelocitybasedonbankfullflowconditions.Thatis,the
mainchannelisflowingfullwithoutflowintheoverbanks.Thisassumptionavoidsthesignificantiteration
associatedwithrainfallintensityordischarges(becauserainfallintensityanddischargearedependentontime
ofconcentration).
Forconduitflow,inaproposedstormdrainsystem,computethevelocityatuniformdepthbasedonthe
computeddischargeattheupstream.Otherwise,iftheconduitisinexistence,determinefullcapacityflowin
theconduit,anddeterminethevelocityatcapacityflow.Youmayneedtocomparethisvelocitylaterwiththe
velocitycalculatedduringconduitanalysis.Ifthereisasignificantdifferenceandtheconduitisarelatively
largecomponentofthetotaltravelpath,recomputethetimeofconcentrationusingthelattervelocityestimate.
Ifitisdeterminedthatalowslopeconditionoratransitionalslopeconditionexists,theusershouldconsider
usinganadjustedslopeincalculatingthetimeofconcentration.SeeTimeofConcentration.
SheetFlowTimeCalculation
Sheetflowtraveltimeiscomputedas:
Equation417.
Where:
tsh=sheetflowtraveltime(hr.)
nol=overlandflowroughnesscoefficient(providedinTable46)
Lsh=sheetflowlength(ft)(100ft.maximum)
P2=2year,24hrainfalldepth(in.)(providedintheTxDOT51301011)
Ssh=sheetflowslope(ft/ft)
Table46:OverlandFlowRoughnessCoefficientsforUseinNRCSMethodinCalculatingSheetFlow
TravelTime(NotManningsRoughnessCoefficient)(NRCS1986)
Surfacedescription
nol
Smoothsurfaces(concrete,asphalt,gravel,orbaresoil)
0.011
Fallow(noresidue)
0.05
Cultivatedsoils:
Residue%
0.06
Residuecover>20%
0.17
Grass:
Shortgrassprairie
0.15
Densegrasses
0.24
Bermuda
0.41
Range(natural):
0.13
Woods:
Lightunderbrush
0.40
Denseunderbrush
0.80
ShallowConcentratedFlow
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ShallowConcentratedFlow
Shallowconcentratedflowtraveltimeiscomputedas:
Equation418.
Where:
tsc=shallowconcentratedflowtime(hr.)
Lsc=shallowconcentratedflowlength(ft)
K=16.13forunpavedsurface,20.32forpavedsurface
Ssc=shallowconcentratedflowslope(ft/ft)
ChannelFlow
Channelflowtraveltimeiscomputedbydividingthechanneldistancebytheflowrateobtainedfrom
Manningsequation.Thiscanbewrittenas:
Equation419.
Where:
tch=channelflowtime(hr.)
Lch=channelflowlength(ft)
Sch=channelflowslope(ft/ft)
n=Manningsroughnesscoefficient
R=channelhydraulicradius(ft),andisequalto,where:a=crosssectionalarea(ft2)andpw=
wettedperimeter(ft),considertheuniformflowvelocitybasedonbankfullflowconditions.Thatis,
themainchannelisflowingfullwithoutflowintheoverbanks.Thisassumptionavoidsthe
significantiterationassociatedwithothermethodsthatemployrainfallintensityordischarges
(becauserainfallintensityanddischargearedependentontimeofconcentration).
ManningsRoughnessCoefficientValues
ManningsroughnesscoefficientsareusedtocalculateflowsusingManningsequation.ValuesfromAmerican
SocietyofCivilEngineers(ASCE)1992,FHWA2001,andChow1959arereproducedinTable47,Table48,
andTable49.
Table47:ManningsRoughnessCoefficientsforOpenChannels
Typeofchannel
Mannings
n
A.Naturalstreams
1.Minorstreams(topwidthatfloodstage<100ft)
a.Clean,straight,full,noriftsordeeppools
0.025
0.033
b.Sameasa,butmorestonesandweeds
0.030
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b.Sameasa,butmorestonesandweeds
0.030
0.040
c.Clean,winding,somepoolsandshoals
0.033
0.045
d.Sameasc,butsomeweedsandstones
0.035
0.050
e.Sameasd,lowerstages,moreineffective
0.040
0.055
f.Sameasd,morestones
0.045
0.060
g.Sluggishreaches,weedy,deeppools
0.050
0.080
h.Veryweedy,heavystandoftimberandunderbrush
0.075
0.150
i.Mountainstreamswithgravelandcobbles,fewbouldersonbottom
0.030
0.050
j.Mountainstreamswithcobblesandlargebouldersonbottom
0.040
0.070
2.Floodplains
a.Pasture,nobrush,shortgrass
0.025
0.035
b.Pasture,nobrush,highgrass
0.030
0.050
c.Cultivatedareas,nocrop
0.020
0.040
d.Cultivatedareas,maturerowcrops
0.025
0.045
e.Cultivatedareas,maturefieldcrops
0.030
0.050
f.Scatteredbrush,heavyweeds
0.035
0.070
g.Lightbrushandtreesinwinter
0.035
0.060
h.Lightbrushandtreesinsummer
0.040
0.080
i.Mediumtodensebrushinwinter
0.045
0.110
j.Mediumtodensebrushinsummer
0.070
0.160
k.Trees,densewillowssummer,straight
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0.110
0.200
0.030
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l.Trees,clearedlandwithtreestumps,nosprouts
0.030
0.050
m.Trees,clearedlandwithtreestumps,withsprouts
0.050
0.080
n.Trees,heavystandoftimber,fewdowntrees,floodstagebelowbranches
0.080
0.120
o.Trees,heavystandoftimber,fewdowntrees,floodstagereachingbranches
0.100
0.160
3.Majorstreams(topwidthatfloodstage>100ft)
a.Regularsectionwithnobouldersorbrush
0.025
0.060
b.Irregularroughsection
0.035
0.100
B.Excavatedordredgedchannels
1.Earth,straightanduniform
a.Clean,recentlycompleted
0.016
0.020
b.Clean,afterweathering
0.018
0.025
c.Gravel,uniformsection,clean
0.022
0.030
d.Withshortgrass,fewweeds
0.022
0.033
2.Earth,windingandsluggish
a.Novegetation
0.023
0.030
b.Grass,someweeds
0.025
0.033
c.Deepweedsoraquaticplantsindeepchannels
0.030
0.040
d.Earthbottomandrubblesides
0.028
0.035
e.Stonybottomandweedybanks
0.025
0.040
f.Cobblebottomandcleansides
0.030
0.050
g.Winding,sluggish,stonybottom,weedybanks
h.Denseweedsashighasflowdepth
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0.040
0.050
0.120
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3.Draglineexcavatedordredged
a.Novegetation
0.025
0.033
b.Lightbrushonbanks
0.035
0.060
4.Rockcuts
a.Smoothanduniform
0.025
0.040
b.Jaggedandirregular
0.035
0.050
5.Unmaintainedchannels
a.Denseweeds,highasflowdepth
0.050
0.120
b.Cleanbottom,brushonsides
0.040
0.080
c.Cleanbottom,brushonsides,higheststage
0.045
0.110
d.Densebrush,highstage
0.080
0.140
C.Linedchannels
1.Asphalt
0.013
0.016
2.Brick(incementmortar)
0.012
0.018
3.Concrete
a.Trowelfinish
0.011
0.015
b.Floatfinish
0.013
0.016
c.Unfinished
0.014
0.020
d.Gunite,regular
0.016
0.023
e.Gunite,wavy
0.018
0.025
4.Riprap(nvaluedependsonrocksize)
0.020
0.035
5.Vegetallining
0.030
0.500
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Table48:ManningsCoefficientsforStreetsandGutters
Typeofgutterorpavement
Manningsn
Concretegutter,troweledfinish
0.012
Asphaltpavement:smoothtexture
0.013
Asphaltpavement:roughtexture
0.016
Concretegutterwithasphaltpavement:smoothtexture
0.013
Concretegutterwithasphaltpavement:roughtexture
0.015
Concretepavement:floatfinish
0.014
Concretepavement:broomfinish
0.016
Table48note:Forgutterswithsmallslopeorwheresedimentmayaccumulate,increasenvaluesby0.02
(USDOT,FHWA2001).
Table49:ManningsRoughnessCoefficientsforClosedConduits(ASCE1982,FHWA2001)
Material
Manningsn
Asbestoscementpipe
0.0110.015
Brick
0.0130.017
Castironpipe
Cementlined&sealcoated
Concrete(monolithic)
0.0110.015
Smoothforms
0.0120.014
Roughforms
0.0150.017
Concretepipe
0.0110.015
Box(smooth)
0.0120.015
Corrugatedmetalpipe(21/2in.x1/2in.corrugations)
Plain
0.0220.026
Pavedinvert
0.0180.022
Spunasphaltlined
0.0110.015
Plasticpipe(smooth)
0.0110.015
Corrugatedmetalpipe(22/3in.by1/2in.annular)
0.0220.027
Corrugatedmetalpipe(22/3in.by1/2in.helical)
0.0110.023
Corrugatedmetalpipe(6in.by1in.helical)
0.0220.025
Corrugatedmetalpipe(5in.by1in.helical)
0.0250.026
Corrugatedmetalpipe(3in.by1in.helical)
0.0270.028
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Corrugatedmetalpipe(3in.by1in.helical)
0.0270.028
Corrugatedmetalpipe(6in.by2in.structuralplate)
0.0330.035
Corrugatedmetalpipe(9in.by21/2in.structuralplate)
0.0330.037
Corrugatedpolyethylene
0.0100.013
Smooth
0.0090.015
Corrugated
0.0180.025
Spiralribmetalpipe(smooth)
Vitrifiedclay
0.0120.013
Pipes
0.0110.015
Linerplates
0.0130.017
Polyvinylchloride(PVC)(smooth)
0.0090.011
Table49note:Manningsnforcorrugatedpipesisafunctionofthecorrugationsize,pipesize,and
whetherthecorrugationsareannularorhelical(seeUSGS1993).
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