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Parameter estimation of beta distribution for unit hydrograph derivation

Bhunya, PK ; Mishra, SK ; Ojha, CSP and Berndtsson, Ronny LU orcid (2004) In Journal of Hydrologic Engineering 9(4). p.325-332
Abstract
Traditionally used methods for developing a synthetic unit hydrograph (SUH) are well known for their limitations. In last few decades, use of probability distribution functions in developing SUHs has received much attention. In this study, the potentials of a three-parameter beta distribution are explored. Using a analogy between the three-parameter beta-distribution shape and the SUH shape, approaches are developed to evaluate the unknown parameters. Based on nondimensional analysis and optimization, a simple accurate relation is introduced to estimate the three parameters of the beta distribution that is useful for unit hydrograph derivation. The relation yields results closer to those obtained by an available trial and error procedure.... (More)
Traditionally used methods for developing a synthetic unit hydrograph (SUH) are well known for their limitations. In last few decades, use of probability distribution functions in developing SUHs has received much attention. In this study, the potentials of a three-parameter beta distribution are explored. Using a analogy between the three-parameter beta-distribution shape and the SUH shape, approaches are developed to evaluate the unknown parameters. Based on nondimensional analysis and optimization, a simple accurate relation is introduced to estimate the three parameters of the beta distribution that is useful for unit hydrograph derivation. The relation yields results closer to those obtained by an available trial and error procedure. The unit hydrographs from the proposed method fit observed hydrographs better than those from the widely used two-parameter gamma distribution. The potential of the approach is demonstrated using data from different catchments lying within and outside India. The methodology is found to work consistently better in most cases. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
probability distribution, parameters, hydrographs, optimization
in
Journal of Hydrologic Engineering
volume
9
issue
4
pages
325 - 332
publisher
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
external identifiers
  • wos:000222250100010
  • scopus:3242685301
ISSN
1084-0699
DOI
10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(2004)9:4(325)
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b7de5c5b-a5b3-477b-b234-fa0284677e6b (old id 273833)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 17:00:34
date last changed
2022-09-06 18:13:12
@article{b7de5c5b-a5b3-477b-b234-fa0284677e6b,
  abstract     = {{Traditionally used methods for developing a synthetic unit hydrograph (SUH) are well known for their limitations. In last few decades, use of probability distribution functions in developing SUHs has received much attention. In this study, the potentials of a three-parameter beta distribution are explored. Using a analogy between the three-parameter beta-distribution shape and the SUH shape, approaches are developed to evaluate the unknown parameters. Based on nondimensional analysis and optimization, a simple accurate relation is introduced to estimate the three parameters of the beta distribution that is useful for unit hydrograph derivation. The relation yields results closer to those obtained by an available trial and error procedure. The unit hydrographs from the proposed method fit observed hydrographs better than those from the widely used two-parameter gamma distribution. The potential of the approach is demonstrated using data from different catchments lying within and outside India. The methodology is found to work consistently better in most cases.}},
  author       = {{Bhunya, PK and Mishra, SK and Ojha, CSP and Berndtsson, Ronny}},
  issn         = {{1084-0699}},
  keywords     = {{probability distribution; parameters; hydrographs; optimization}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{325--332}},
  publisher    = {{American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)}},
  series       = {{Journal of Hydrologic Engineering}},
  title        = {{Parameter estimation of beta distribution for unit hydrograph derivation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(2004)9:4(325)}},
  doi          = {{10.1061/(ASCE)1084-0699(2004)9:4(325)}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}