A dimensionless approach for the runoff peak assessment: effects of
the rainfall event structure
Abstract. The present paper proposes a dimensionless analytical framework to predict the hydrologic response of a given catchment thus assessing the impact of the rainfall event structure on the runoff peak. The dimensionless form of the rainfall depth is described as a simple power function of the dimensionless duration. Soil abstractions are modelled using the Soil Conservation Service method and the Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph theory is undertaken to determine the dimensionless form of the hydrograph; the two-parameter gamma-distribution is selected to test the proposed methodology. A set of analytical expressions are derived in case of constant-intensity hyetograph to assess the highest runoff peak with respect to a given rainfall event structure irrespective of the specific catchment. Looking at the results, the curve of the highest values of the runoff peak reveals a local minimum point in the neighbourhood of d* and n values equal to 1 and 0.3, respectively. As an example, the proposed approach has been applied to analyse the hydrologic response of a small Mediterranean catchment to three observed rainfall events characterized by different rainfall internal structures.