Fluid Dynamic | Constructed Wetland Design

Brays Bayou, Houston, USA

MIT Center for Advanced Urbanism | 09/2015-09/2016 | 

Advisor:  Prof. Heidi Nepf, Prof. Alan Berger, Prof. Celina Balderas

Project team:  Tyler Swingle, Manoel Xavier, Samantha Cohen

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Managing stormwater is a key problem in securing urban resiliency and meeting water quality standards. According to the EPA, stormwater is the only growing source of water pollution, which already impairs 13% of the nation’s rivers. More intense storms in the future will exacerbate flooding, which cost the United States $2.4 billion in 2014. In arid cities, stormwater is now seen as an opportunity to alleviate water scarcity, expected in 40 states within the next 10 years.

 

Although constructed wetlands and detention basins have been built for stormwater management for a long time, their design has been largely driven by hydrologic performance. Bringing together fluid dynamics, landscape architecture, and urban planning, this research project explores how these natural treatment systems can be designed as multi-functional urban infrastructure to manage flooding, improve water quality, enhance biodiversity, and create amenities in cities. We use Los Angeles and Houston as case studies.

 

Our methodology centers on digital modeling combined with fluid dynamics numerical simulations and physical testing that allow us to assess the hydraulic performance of the new designs. This work in progress is funded by a seed grant from the MIT Abdul Latif Jameel World Water and Food Security Lab (J-WAFS) and will culminate in published design guidelines in the summer of 2017.