Scribd
Upload
53 views

IDF Curve Guide

This document provides instructions for using the Precipitation Frequency Data Server (PFDS) to determine rainfall intensity for roadway design projects in Tennessee. It outlines the 7 steps to select a location in Tennessee, choose precipitation intensity data type, and view either the tabular or graphical rainfall intensity duration frequency (IDF) data for a given return period at that location. This allows designers to determine rainfall intensity for their project's time of concentration and return period to inform drainage design.

Uploaded by

Kaushal Rijal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
53 views

IDF Curve Guide

This document provides instructions for using the Precipitation Frequency Data Server (PFDS) to determine rainfall intensity for roadway design projects in Tennessee. It outlines the 7 steps to select a location in Tennessee, choose precipitation intensity data type, and view either the tabular or graphical rainfall intensity duration frequency (IDF) data for a given return period at that location. This allows designers to determine rainfall intensity for their project's time of concentration and return period to inform drainage design.

Uploaded by

Kaushal Rijal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

IDF Curve Guide

(Rainfall Intensity)

Roadway Design Division


Website: www.tn.gov/tdot/roadway-design/training.html

Email: [email protected]
Introduction
Rainfall intensity is the average rainfall rate (in/hr) for a duration equal to the time of
concentration for a selected return period. Once a particular return period has been selected for
design, and the time of concentration calculated for the drainage area, the rainfall intensity can
be determined from Rainfall Intensity Duration Frequency (IDF) Curves
The Precipitation Frequency Data Server (PFDS) is a point-and-click interface developed to
deliver NOAA Atlas 14 precipitation frequency estimates and associated information. Estimates
and their confidence intervals can be displayed directly as tables or graphs via separate tabs.
1. First step is to click the link below or copy and paste the URL into a browser of your choice.
https://hdsc.nws.noaa.gov/hdsc/pfds/
2. Click on the state of Tennessee or select Tennessee in the drop-down menu about the map.

3. Under Data description, what type of data that will be shown can be selected. Precipitation
Depth indicates to what depth liquid precipitation would cover a horizontal surface in an
observation period if nothing could drain, evaporate, or percolate from this surface.
Precipitation intensity will be used the most. Precipitation intensity is the average rainfall rate
(in/hr) for a duration equal to the time of concentration for a selected return period. Once a
particular return period has been selected for design, and the time of concentration
calculated for the drainage area, the rainfall intensity can be determined from Rainfall
Intensity Duration Frequency (IDF) Curves.
For this guide, select Precipitation Intensity from the drop-down menu under Data Type.
4. Under Select Location, manually enter the project location. This can be done in one of three
ways. First is by the Latitude and Longitude of the project. This will be the most accurate
since it will be the exact location of the project. The second method will be by selecting a
station in a city that is already collected. Third method would be by address. Type in the
address or county of the project to see the data for that specific location.

5. For this example, the station at Nashville WSO Airport was selected.
6. Scroll down to see the data for the location selected. Both the tabulated data and graphical
data can be seen by selecting the respected tab.
7. In most cases, the tabular data will be easier to analyze the precipitation frequency (in/hr).
The data can be interpolated to determine more accurate data.
Each column is a different average recurrence interval in years. In the Drainage Manual
Chapter 4, Table 4-1 list the frequency to use based on certain criteria.
Each row is a different duration from 5 minutes to 60 days. What to use here depends on
what is trying to be accomplished.

You might also like