Reducing the risk of basement flooding due to infiltration: evaluation of the performance of foundation drainage systems

Basement flooding is a devastating consequence of extreme pluvial events. Damages from flooded basements pose severe financial and health risks to the inhabitants of the home. Basement flood risk is influenced by socio-political, environmental, and infrastructural factors. As a result, basement flooding often impacts marginalized communities to a greater degree. During precipitation events, groundwater and surface water can infiltrate the home through small openings such as window wells or cracks in the foundation. To mitigate the risk of infiltration flooding, foundation drainage systems can be implemented at the property level. These systems use pipes around the perimeter of the foundation to collect water and direct it away from the home. While drainage systems can reduce flood risk, their efficacy depends on proper installation and maintenance. In addition, there are knowledge gaps related to the performance of foundation drainage systems. This research aims to fill those gaps by investigating the lot-specific and hydrological conditions that affect these systems. System performance will be evaluated by simulating rainfall on a laboratory model of a residential foundation drainage system. The model includes a scaled basement foundation, window well, window drainpipe, and perimeter drainpipe. Experimental runs will test the system’s performance under varying precipitation intensities and lot grades. These runs will reveal infiltration pathways and identify lot-level conditions that result in greater potential for flooding. The results from this research can inform municipal policies and increase resiliency to urban flood events by recommending proper installation and maintenance practices for foundation drainage systems.