Main Drainage Design for the New Kuala Lumpur International Airport

The new Kuala Lumpur international Airport in Malaysia requires substantial works for the management and attenuation of surface-water runoff from a large platform constructed on both high ground and low-lying swamp. This paper describes the key features of the main drainage system and reviews (a) the hydrological context of the scheme, (b) the design principles, and (c) the methodologies which were adopted. The platform drainage works comprise concrete-lined open channels discharging through large balancing ponds into the local rivers. Other components of the scheme include numerous culverts, a river diversion, and an interim system to drain the earthworks' platform prior to completion of the permanent airport drainage. Measures to mitigate the impact of the development, and the application of hydrodynamic modelling in optimizing the system design, are discussed.