CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

1.1 Introduction

Most countries around the world are undergoing urbanization. Tall tress turning to tall

buildings and meadows turning to concrete roads are such examples of urbanization. As time passes

by, villages are developing into towns and towns are developing into cities. This eventuality will

continue to exist in the future. Urban development provides efficiency but it can also intensify the risk

of environmental hazards such as flash flooding.

Before the civilization growth, the cause of flood occurrence was the overflowing of nearby

rivers or lakes due to heavy rain. Meanwhile the floods we are experiencing today are due to the

obstruction of rainfall infiltration into the soil by concrete. With effective flood control plan, such

floods can be prevented or minimized.

On the island of Cebu, one of the main problems the cities are experiencing is flood. Flood

not only damages the environment, but it affects different livelihood of people. It is not due to the

ineffective drainage system but to the inadequate flood control. In the city of Mandaue particularly in

Tipolo Creek, the elevation of canal outlet is low enough that during high tide, seawater will flow into

the outlet. Even with only light rain, as long as high tide is occurring, the influx of seawater into the

outlet will cause the blockage of rainwater in the drainage system that will eventually lead to flood.

This study will resolve the current flood problem and to improve the existing flood control in

Mandaue City. Some of the possible solutions for this matter are to install a floodgate at the main

canal to prevent inflow of seawater. In this way, seawater cannot enter the canal outlet during high

tides while the gate is closed and will be released when low tide occurs or when the volume of water

inside the gate will reach a specific value that needs to be discharged.

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1.2 Statement of the Problem

The areas having canals connecting to Tipolo Creek of Mandaue City, Cebu experience the

rise of flood level from the ankle to about knee level during heavy rains or high tides due to lack of

structural flood control at the canal outlet.

The city had been developing the drainage system but even at its optimum design, those

affected areas still experience flooding. In order to take action, the researchers propose a reservoir and

flood gate at the canal outlet.

Over the years, the development of the city cannot be sustained by drainage system only as

flood control. It cannot function well if canal water elevation is leveled with seawater elevation.

This research provides flood prevention even during simultaneous heavy rain and high tide,

specifically a designed floodgate and proposed maximum capacity of reservoir at Tipolo Creek outlet

to improve the flood control in Mandaue City, Cebu.

This study will answer the following questions:

 Can the flooding in the city be prevented?

 Can the drainage system sustain as flood control after years from now?

 Does building the floodgate and reservoir help the development of the city?

 Where is the exact location in the study area for the floodgate?

1.3 Objectives of the Study

This study aims to design a flood control system along Tipolo Creek outlet that would

improve the existing flood control system in Mandaue City for the next 10 years. Furthermore, the

following are the specific objectives of the study:

1. To determine the maximum volume of water base on rainfall intensity

2. To determine the feasible site for the flood control system

3. To determine the slope of surface water at Tipolo Creek

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 4. To design a flood control structure for the flood control system in terms of:

4.1 Floodgate at canal outlet

4.2 Reservoir maximum capacity

1.4 Conceptual Framework

Floods have prevailed in the recent years, hampering not only social but also the economic

development as well. This global pandemic has caused loss of lives, property and economic damages

in many countries [CITATION Rem18 \l 1033 ].

Urban development may increase the risk of future floods because of local changes in

hydrological conditions and an increase in flood exposure that arises from an increasing population

and expanding infrastructure within flood-prone zones [CITATION Ahm18 \l 1033 ].

The problem of inadequate flood control is what we face today, and a possible solution to that

is installing a floodgate. The rising of seawater level due to global warming that will result an influx

of seawater that will block the flow of water which will then result to flood.

From this observed phenomenon, the researchers were motivated to undertake the present

study as to improve the existing flood control in the study area. Also, the improvement of flood

control will greatly help the community.

The whole research endeavor is reflected in Figure 1. The schema shows the procedure

leading to an effective structural flood control.

Flood Control

Flood protection is of major importance to many flood-prone regions and involves

substantial investment and maintenance costs. Modern flood risk management often requires

determining a cost-efficient protection strategy, i.e., one which has the lowest possible long run cost

and which satisfies flood protection standards imposed by the regulator throughout the entire

planning horizon. There are two challenges that complicate the modeling: (i) uncertainty - many of

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the important parameters on which the strategies are based (e.g. the sea level rise) are uncertain, and

will be known only in the future, and (ii) adjustability - decisions implemented at later time stages

need to adapt to the realized uncertainty values [CITATION Krz19 \l 1033 ].

Parameters

In order to create a better understanding of the problem at hand, gathering data is a must for

every researcher, as such, to design a building; engineers must first determine the different types of

loads for every part of the structure to ensure it can carry the required load. In this study, the

parameters we must gather are the maximum volume of rainfall, highest seawater level, the

dimension of canal outlet and hydrostatic and dynamic force. The parameters in the study will serve

as basis in designing the framework of the structures. The data will be obtained in the MCPDO and

PAG-ASA. This would lead the researcher to design an adequate volume of the structure, elevation

and dimension of the floodgate.

Design and Analysis

The objective in designing a floodgate is to prevent flood when there is a high tide and a

heavy rain. This research will rely on computer software known as AUTOCAD and ACECOMS

GEAR to model and analyze the gathered data. Then we can design the structures according to the

software.

Recommendation

Recommendation and acceptance is the finale of the study. When the research is completed

we will then recommend the municipality of Mandaue an improved flood control plan. The public

would base the recommendation of the design presented for effective structural flood control.

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 FLOOD CONTROL
I
N PARAMETERS
P
 MAXIMUM VOLUME OF
U RAINFALL
 DIMENSION OF CANAL OUTLET
T  HYDROSTATIC FORCE

P
R
O
C
DESIGN&
E ANALYSIS
S
S

O RECOMMENDATION
U FLOODGATE AND RESERVOIR FOR
T FLOOD CONTROL

P
EFFECTIVE
U
STRUCTURAL FLOOD
T
CONTROL
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FIGURE 1 - A Schema Showing the Floodgate and Reservoir for Flood Control
1.5 Significance of the Study

The study aims to propose and design framework of a floodgate at Tipolo Creek outlet to

improve the flood control system in Mandaue City. This will prevent the backflow of rainwater and

wastewater in the canal and influx of seawater. More importantly, this will benefit the following:

Environment. Flood has been a threat to the safety and health of the locals and the environment. In

order to prevent the damage that the flood may cause to the locals and also to the environment, an

improvised flood control system will be developed. The researchers believed that constructing a

floodgate is the best way to save the locals and environment.

Community. The researchers believed that when a flood is being prevented, it will lessen the work of

the locals which is cleaning after the mess of the flood and improve their health.

Transportation. The occurrence of flood in the roads will cause a heavy traffic and can also cause a

negative effect to the students, workers and businessmen in their various fields.

The researchers. It would open doors of knowledge to the researchers especially in the fields of

construction engineering and environmental engineering. The study will help them practice and

broaden their understanding about planning, flood control and structural designing.

The future researchers. The study will help the future researchers who are interested of doing related

projects. This will give them ideas, facts and opportunities to explore possibilities on how to prevent

flood.

1.6 Scope and Delimitation

The main focus of the study is to provide an immediate solution to the existing floods

occurring during high tides and heavy rains in affected areas of the study. A floodgate will be

designed for the inflow of seawater and a reservoir for the backflow of the rainwater and wastewater.

Data would be obtained from the Mandaue City Planning Development Office particularly Flood

Control plan.

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 The scope of the study limits only to the areas where rainfall contributes to the flooding of

Tipolo Creek. Due to the limited time and resources, cost and benefit analysis, environmental

aspects, location and design of the reservoir, seismic analysis, foundation and the mechanism of the

floodgate will not be considered because the study only focuses on the design of the proposed

structures.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Urbanization – the process of becoming more like a city

Flash Flooding – a sudden, severe flood, usually caused by a heavy rain that falls over a short period

of time

Infiltration– is the process by which precipitation or water soaks into subsurface soils and moves

into rocks through cracks and pore spaces.

Drainage System – is a system that minimizes the impact of flooding by safely carrying storm water

away from built-up areas into rivers and creeks.

Flood Control – the protection of land from floods, as by soil conservation, reforestation, the

construction of dams, reservoirs, river embankments, etc

Canal Outlet – is a device through which water is released from a distributing channel into a water

course.

Watershed – a catchment area of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers, basins, seas, or

creeks.

Floodgate – a gate that can be opened or closed to control a flow of water

Inflow – something, such as liquid or gas, that flows in

Reservoir – a place for storing liquid, especially a natural or artificial lake providing water for a city

or other area

Time of concentration – the particular length of time of rainfall

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Steady Flow – the pressure, density, discharge, temperature and etc. of the fluid does not change with

time

Best Fit Line – is a straight line that is the approximation of the given set data.

Laminar Flow – fluid particles move in layers such that one layer of the fluid slides smoothly over an

adjacent layer.