• InfoWorks ICM

Understanding the urban drainage model

Define an urban drainage model and describe how it is used to simulate hydraulic interaction.


Urban drainage models are whole system models that focus on urban areas, where impacts are the most significant. An urban drainage model is a hydraulic model of both underground pipe drainage systems and above-ground systems, interacting together within an urban environment.

An example of an urban drainage model.

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A presentation slide showing the types of drainage solutions below and above ground, with example images.

Urban drainage models provide insights into the hydraulic interaction within the urban environment, such as:

  1. Flooding from the below-ground drainage to the surface or vice versa
  2. Spills from combined sewer overflows/sanitary sewer overflows
  3. Quantifying additional flows into the sewer system
  4. Catchment asset performance and resilience
  5. Identifying key flooding mechanisms both above and below ground

InfoWorks ICM hydraulic modeling outputs for an urban drainage model can provide a cost-benefit analysis of your project.

A presentation slide containing the outcomes of how urban model provide cost-benefit analysis, with an example model image.