ABSTRACT
Rainfall Simulators (RS) have been used as tools for researches involving the estimation of runoff and infiltration on permeable pavements as well as in evaluating storm build-up and wash-off processes on pavements and roofs. Data obtained with the use of RS allows building a database with parameters which are useful in the implementation of BMPs taking local environment conditions into consideration. The purpose of this study was to develop and calibrate a handy and low-cost RS for hydrological researches. The developed RS can reproduce rainfall with intensities from 40 mm h-1 to 182 mm h-1. The RS is able to simulate rainfall events with drops of median diameter (D50) of 2.12 mm and kinetic energy of 22.53 J mm-1m-2, which represent 90.12% of the kinetic energy produced by a natural rainfall. Spatial distribution of simulated rainfall, which is expressed by the Christiansen's Uniformity Coefficient, was considered satisfactory with a value of up to 87.80%. The developed RS can be used as an alternative for the acquisition of hydrological data in a reduced period of time, under standardized experimental conditions and independently of natural rainfall events. The RS is also capable to simulate rainfall events with varying intensity.
Keywords:
Simulated rainfall; Infiltration; Rural and urban drainage