Drainage is a crucial aspect of environmental engineering that involves the management of water flow to prevent flooding, erosion, and water damage. It is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of hydrology, hydraulics, and geotechnical engineering. Drainage systems are designed to collect, transport, and dispose of water from various sources, including rainfall, groundwater, and surface runoff. These systems can be either natural or artificial, and they may include channels, pipes, culverts, ditches, and other structures. One important aspect of drainage is the design of effective drainage systems that can handle large volumes of water without causing damage to the environment. This involves careful planning and analysis of the surrounding terrain, as well as the use of advanced modeling techniques to simulate water flow and predict potential problems. Drainage systems must also be designed to minimize the impact on the environment and ensure the safety of nearby communities. Another important aspect of drainage is the maintenance of existing systems to ensure their continued effectiveness. This involves regular inspections, cleaning, and repair of drainage structures to prevent blockages and other issues that can impede water flow. Effective maintenance can help to extend the life of drainage systems and reduce the risk of flooding and other water-related problems. Overall, drainage is a critical aspect of environmental engineering that plays a vital role in protecting communities and the environment from the damaging effects of water. It requires a combination of technical expertise, careful planning, and ongoing maintenance to ensure the continued effectiveness of drainage systems.
hydrology, hydraulics, geotechnical engineering, water flow, environmental engineering
The term Drainage is derived from the French drain, meaning 'ditch' or 'channel'. This has been in use since at least the 13th century. The word is a combination of the Latin draco, 'ditch' or 'channel', and the French termininations -age and -er, which are used to create words that denote the act of doing something or being something. Morphologically, the word ‘drainage’ is an abstract noun form created by adding the suffix –age to the noun ‘drain’. From a semantic perspective, the word ‘drainage’ refers to the management and engineering of the physical environment in order to ensure the efficient removal of water. In this sense, it is often used in the engineering context to describe the systems used for the collection and distribution of run off water. Pragmatics refers to the use of language in its social context, and as such, ‘drainage’ can be used to refer to any number of systems designed for the removal of excess water.
Etymology, Morphology, Linguistic, Historical, Pragmatics
The word ‘drainage’ is a noun; specifically, a collective noun. Synonyms for drainage include drainage system, runoff and outflow. Antonyms include damming, containment and, in a figurative sense, containment of emotions. Cognates are numerous; in German, the word is ‘abfluss’, while in Spanish the word is ‘drenaje’. Variants of ‘drainage’ include drain, draining, drainable, drainpipe, drainless and drainaged.
Sewer, aqueduct, river, catchment, irrigation
Drainage is the process of removing excess water from land or objects, such as roadways and buildings, as well as the movement of the diverted water to a safe location or body of water. In other languages, drained water is known as Ausguss (German), Afvoer (Dutch), ダイナージ (Japanese), Evacuación (Spanish), Vazamento (Portuguese), Scarico (Italian), and Écoulement (French). Other words include Effluent, Overflow, Outflow, Leakage, Seepage, Overflowing, and Discharge.
Descarga, Evacuación, Vazamento, Afvoer, Ausguss, Écoulement, Scarico, Effluent, Overflow, Outflow, Leakage, Seepage, Overflowing, Discharge
Drainage is the process of water removal from a specified area. It is commonly used within the context of design to ensure the protection of structural integrity and to reduce the risk of flooding. Drainage is often achieved through the use of drainage systems, which involve a network of trenches, channels, pipes, and pumps. These systems are designed to collect, store, and distribute runoff water, while preventing the accumulation of stagnant water and the overflow of water in low-lying areas. Additionally, drainage systems are also used to improve the aesthetics of a landscape by controlling the flow of water, which can provide a more attractive and natural appearance.
Drainage design, stormwater management, runoff control, water harvesting, swales.
CITATION : "Charles Windsor. 'Drainage.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=200201 (Accessed on July 04, 2025)"
Drainage is a branch of engineering that studies and applies the principles of hydrology and hydraulics to the design and construction of systems that will collect, convey, and dispose of surface and subsurface water. It is the process of collecting liquid and solid waste from a given area, such as a city or town, and delivering it to a location for disposal or recycling. Drainage systems typically involve the construction of channels, pipes, or conduits to convey the water from its source, such as a roof or street, to a storage facility or to a natural outlet such as a river, lake, or ocean. Drainage systems also help to control flooding, reduce erosion, and improve the level of water quality.
Drainage, water flow, infrastructure, runoff, sewer.
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