Title: Constructing depth-area-duration curves using public domain satellite-based precipitation data

Authors: Marina Patrick; Darrien Yau Seng Mah; Frederik Josep Putuhena; Yin Chai Wang; Onni Suhaiza Selaman

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia ' Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia ' Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Pancasila, Jl. Srengseng Sawah, Jagakarsa, 12640, Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia ' Centre of Research for Image Analysis and Spatial Technologies, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia ' Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa, 94300, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia

Abstract: Dense network of rain gauges are used to accurately characterise the variation of rainfall over a less than ideal region such as Sarawak, Malaysia. This research aims to develop depth-area-duration (DAD) relationships of selected rainstorm event over Sungai Sarawak basin by using public domain satellite-based precipitation data from tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM) product. Geographic information system (GIS) was used to manipulate the three-hourly accumulated precipitation dataset from TRMM and subsequently used to investigate spatial and temporal pattern of rainstorm. The findings suggested that rainfall depth decreases with increasing area for a given duration. This also implies that the remotely sensed information from TRMM product can be used as an alternative source of dataset to envelop rainfall DAD curves. Future work suggested would be to use the plotted DAD curves to estimate the probable maximum precipitation for the purpose of hydraulic structure designs.

Keywords: areal rainfall; depth-area-duration; DAD; extreme rainstorm event; geographic information system; GIS; isohyets; Kriging; north-east monsoon; NEM; Sungai Sarawak basin; SSB; Thiessen polygon; tropical rainfall measuring mission; TRMM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHST.2019.102317

International Journal of Hydrology Science and Technology, 2019 Vol.9 No.3, pp.281 - 302

Received: 03 Mar 2017
Accepted: 13 Nov 2017
Published online: 18 Sep 2019 *

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