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Effects of debris density and morphology on grate inlet clogging and drainage performance: A VOF-DEM study
Summary
This study used computer simulations to test how different types of street trash—foam, leaves, and plastic bags—clog storm drains and worsen street flooding. It found that heavier debris like plastic bags sinks and blankets the drain opening, while lighter foam floats away and leaves get stuck in gaps, all of which slow drainage and can raise flood water levels. This matters because urban flooding creates health hazards like contaminated standing water, and the findings could help cities design better drain grates and target cleanup efforts where they're needed most.
Study Region: Urban road catchment areas with shallow-water drainage systems, where grate inlet clogging by floating debris frequently exacerbates flooding. Study Focus: This study employs a coupled Volume of Fluid-Discrete Element Method (VOF-DEM) model, validated by physical experiments, to simulate the transport and clogging behavior of three typical urban debris types—foam (300 kg/m³), leaves (1000 kg/m³), and plastic bags (1500 kg/m³)—under shallow-water drainage conditions. The objective is to investigate how material-specific properties (density and morphology) govern clogging dynamics and drainage performance. New Hydrological Insights for the Region: Results reveal that density governs movement patterns: low-density foam floats and migrates widely with minimal direct clogging; near-water-density leaves suspend and accumulate at grate gaps and corners; high-density plastic bags rapidly settle and cover the grate surface, reducing effective flow area. Morphology synergizes with density to enhance clogging stability. Clogging reduces drainage efficiency, with an average water level backwater of 3.2 mm and flow velocity reduction of 0–15.4%, showing spatial heterogeneity. This study establishes a multi-scale framework linking material properties to hydraulic response, providing quantitative references for anti-clogging grate design, targeted maintenance, and risk assessment of stormwater inlets in the study region.