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Analysis on the Rainwater Retention Capability of Mulches in Urban Green Space


Affiliations
1 School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China
2 School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China
 

‘Sponge city construction’ has led to higher requirements for rainwater absorption in urban green space. When the rainwater absorption capacity of typical underlying layers in urban green space, i.e., plants and soil, is limited, mulch can often make up for the deficiency in the rainwater absorption capacity of the green space. This study focuses on four types of mulch: loose pine cone scales, broadleaf oak bark, coconut shells, and sawdust, and conducts rainwater harvesting to measure their rainwater retention efficiencies. The results are as follows: in terms of mass, coconut shells weighed 3.87 times their original mass after absorption; in terms of volume, coconut shells had the highest absorption rate per unit volume at 0.65 mL/cm3. Sawdust reached an absorption rate per unit volume of 0.58 mL/cm3. Within the first 10 minutes of rainwater harvesting, sawdust reached its maximum retention volume of 98.7%, followed by coconut shells, oak bark, and loose pine cone scales at 76.6%, 75.1%, and 65.7%, respectively. Highly absorptive mulch is conducive for enhancing rainwater retention, and urban green space and mulch rainwater retention provide greater flexibility for coping up with intense rainstorms. Therefore, mulch has broad application prospects in urban green space, especially those in semi-arid regions. This study recommends adopting mulch as the third underlying layer after soil and plants in major urban green space.

Keywords

Urban Green Space, Mulch, Rainwater Retention, Sponge City Construction.
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  • Analysis on the Rainwater Retention Capability of Mulches in Urban Green Space

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Authors

Yichuan Zhang
School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China
Lifang Qiao
School of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang 453003, Henan, China
Jiangping Wang
School of Urban Design, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China

Abstract


‘Sponge city construction’ has led to higher requirements for rainwater absorption in urban green space. When the rainwater absorption capacity of typical underlying layers in urban green space, i.e., plants and soil, is limited, mulch can often make up for the deficiency in the rainwater absorption capacity of the green space. This study focuses on four types of mulch: loose pine cone scales, broadleaf oak bark, coconut shells, and sawdust, and conducts rainwater harvesting to measure their rainwater retention efficiencies. The results are as follows: in terms of mass, coconut shells weighed 3.87 times their original mass after absorption; in terms of volume, coconut shells had the highest absorption rate per unit volume at 0.65 mL/cm3. Sawdust reached an absorption rate per unit volume of 0.58 mL/cm3. Within the first 10 minutes of rainwater harvesting, sawdust reached its maximum retention volume of 98.7%, followed by coconut shells, oak bark, and loose pine cone scales at 76.6%, 75.1%, and 65.7%, respectively. Highly absorptive mulch is conducive for enhancing rainwater retention, and urban green space and mulch rainwater retention provide greater flexibility for coping up with intense rainstorms. Therefore, mulch has broad application prospects in urban green space, especially those in semi-arid regions. This study recommends adopting mulch as the third underlying layer after soil and plants in major urban green space.

Keywords


Urban Green Space, Mulch, Rainwater Retention, Sponge City Construction.

References