The transient flow conditions within a building drainage system may be simulated by the numerical solution of the defining equations of momentum and continuity, coupled to a knowledge of the boundary conditions representing either appliances discharging to the network or particular network terminations. While the fundamental mathematics has long been available, it is the availability of fast, affordable and accessible computing that has allowed the development of the simulations presented in this paper.
A drainage system model for unsteady partially filled pipeflow will be presented in this paper. The model is capable of predicting flow depth and rate, and solid velocity, throughout a complex network. The ability of such models to assist in the decision making and design processes will be shown, particularly in such areas as appliance design and water conservation.