2.

1 Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia (MSMA 2nd

Edition)
Urban Stormwater Management Manual for Malaysia (MSMA 2nd Edition) has been
widely accepted term and trademark in the stormwater industry in Malaysia. This
guideline has provided the market various source of information and guidance to the
latest stormwater best management practices. In this chapter, we will adopt the
procedures and guideline in chapter 4 from the MSMA 2nd Edition to tabulate a simple
calculation. It has provided several table, charts and diagram in design of gutter sizing
that are appropriate to Malaysian conditions. The design approaches in this topic mainly
are drainage of roofs and to determine the alignment and size of drainage components
like gutters & downpipes.
Design ARIs for selection of Roof Drainage in the RWH system
Property Type
All buildings

Eaves Gutters
20 year ARI

Valley and Box Gutters

100 year ARI

2.1.1 Catchment Area

Catchments area has the huge impact on the collection of rainwater for a single unit
building structure. Before performing the calculation, it is important to determine which
area of the roof need to take account with. The diagrams below show 3 different types of
roof slope along with the formula use on it:

(a) Single Sloping Roof Freely Exposed to the Wind

A c = A h+

Av
2

Eq. 2.1

(b) Single Sloping Roof Partially Exposed to the Wind

1
A c = A h+ ( A v 2 A v 1 )
2

Eq. 2.1.1

(c) Two Adjacent Sloping Roofs

1
A c = A h1 + A h2 + ( A v 2 A v1 )
2
Figure 2.1.2 Roof Catchment Area

Eq. 2.3

Table 2.1.0 Recommended Runoff Coefficients for Various Land uses

Land use

Runoff Coefficient (C)

For Minor System For Major System
(> 10year ARI)
( 10year
ARI)

Residential
Bungalow
0.65
0.70
Semi-detached Bungalow
0.70
0.75
Link and Terrace House
0.80
0.90
Flat and Apartment
0.80
0.85
Condominium
0.75
0.80
Commercial and Business Centres
0.90
0.95
Industrial
0.90
0.95
Spot Fields, Park and Agriculture
0.30
0.40
Open Spaces
Bare Soil (No Cover)
0.50
0.60
Grass Cover
0.40
0.50
Bush Cover
0.35
0.45
Forest Cover
0.30
0.40
Road and Highways
0.95
0.95
Water Body (Pond)
Detention Pond (with outlet)
0.95
0.95
Retention Pond (no outlet)
0.00
0.00
(after DID 1980; Chow et al., 1988; QUDM, 2007 and Darwin Harbour, 2009)

2.1.2 Design of Eaves Gutters and Downpipes

The procedure for the design of an eaves gutter is as follows:
-

Determine the roof catchment area to each downpipe;

Determine the design 5 minute duration, 20 year ARI rainfall intensity (here we
assumed all rainfall intensity as 100 mm/hr to easy calculation)
Using Chart 2.1.2 or Chart 2.1.3 to obtain gutter size.

The roof flow is produced by the formula as follow:

Q=

I . A c .C
3600

Where,
I

Rainfall Intensity (mm/hr)

Ac

2
Roof Catchment Area (m )

Roof permeability coefficient (use 0.95 for whole calculation)

The table below has been summarized the size of gutters & downpipes stated in the charts
and table in MSMA 2nd Edition chapter 4.

Table 2.1.1 Gutter sizing

Roof
Area
( m

Rainfal
l
intensi
ty

Eave Gutters ( mm
Slope
1:500

Slope flatter

(mm/h
r)
100
100
100
100
100
100

and
steeper
5400
6250
7000
7800
8500
9250

than 1:500
7200
8250
9400
10400
11250
12400

)
50
60
70
80
90
100

Table 2.1.2 Required Downpipes size for eave gutter

Eaves Gutter Size

Minimal Nominal Size of Downpipe (mm)

Circular
Rectangular

4000
4200
75
4600
4800
85
5900
6400
90
6600
6700
100
8200
9600
125
12,800
16,000
150
18,400
19,200
Not applicable
20,000
22,000
(after MSMA 2nd Edition page 4-5 chapter 4)

65 x 50
75 x 50
100 x 50
75 x 70
100 x 75
100 x 100
125 x 100
150 x 100
125 x 125
150 x 125

The graph in chart 2.1.2 & chart 2.1.3 below showed the relationships between roof
catchment area & ARI and cross sectional area of gutter.

Chart 2.1.2 Gutter Design Chart (after MSMA 2nd Edition page 125 chapter 4)
The graph is assume:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

An effective width to depth is a ratio about 2:1:

Gradient of 1:500 or steeper;
Mannings formula with n = 0.016
The least favorable positioning of downpipe and bends within the gutter length;
Cross-section or half round, quad, ogee or square;
The outlet to downpipe is located centrally in the sole of the eaves gutter.

Chart 2.1.3 Gutter Design Chart (after MSMA 2nd Edition page 126 chapter 4)
The graph is assume:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

An effective width to depth is a ratio about 2:1:

Gradient of flow flatter than 1:500;
Mannings formula with n = 0.016
The least favorable positioning of downpipe and bends within the gutter length;
Cross-section or half round, quad, ogee or square;
The outlet to downpipe is located centrally in the sole of the eaves gutter.

2.1.3 Design of Valley Gutters

Valley gutters is installed when the ARI of the RWH systems location is high or
sometimes when two roof planes meet. It is located on top of the sloping roof sections of
a hipped roof. In designing the valley gutters:
-

Valley should end at the high point of an eaves gutter, and

The discharge from valley gutter does not flow equally into both eaves gutters.
Therefore, the designer should allow at least 20 % excess capacity in the sizing of
the eaves gutters.

Figure 2.1.3 Valley Gutter layout (after MSMA 2nd Edition page 4-5 chapter 4)

The procedure for the design of a valley gutter is as follows:

-

Select the ARI(mm/hr);

Determine the design 5 minute duration, 100 year ARI rainfall intensity; and
Choose the size and dimension from Table 2.1.3

Table 2.1.3 Minimum Dimensions for Valley Gutters

Design Rainfall
Intensity
(mm/hr)

Sheet
Width

Minimum Dimension (mm)

Effective
Effective
he
We
Depth (
)
Width (
)

200

355

32

215

201 250

375

35

234

251 300
301 350
351 400
>400

395
415
435
455

Notes:
1) Freeboard (

38
40
43
45

254
273
292
311

h f ) = 15mm

2) The sheet width from which the valley is to be formed has been calculated on
the basis of

hf

= 15mm and an allowance for side rolls or bends of

25mm.

(after MSMA 2nd Edition page 4-6 chapter 4)

Table 2.1.3 is valid for several conditions:

-

Roof slope of not less than 12.5;

The nominal side angle of the valley gutters is 16.5; and

2
The roof catchment area for that valley gutters should not exceed 20 m