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Project # 85
Performance Evaluation of Tipping Bucket and Optical Rain Gauges for Hydrological Research
| Team Lead: | Jack Yohn |
| Other Team Members: | Jason Escobar | Amol Paudel |
| Faculty Advisor(s): | Daniel Li (CE), Nick Fang (CE), Yijing Xie (EE). |
| Department: | CE |
| Project Type: | REU |
| Title: | Performance Evaluation of Tipping Bucket and Optical Rain Gauges for Hydrological Research |
| Abstract: | This project evaluates the performance and reliability of optical rainfall gauges compared to traditional mechanical tipping bucket rain gauges for environmental monitoring applications. Accurate rainfall measurement is critical for hydrological research, stormwater management, flood prediction, and climate studies. The project combines two parts from comprehensive literature reviews and comparative evaluation testing of two types of measurement systems. Traditional tipping bucket gauges measure precipitation by collecting water in a small bucket that tips once a fixed volume is reached, converting mechanical motion into digital rainfall totals. While widely used, these systems can experience mechanical wear, delayed response during light rainfall, and measurement error during high-intensity events due to bucket tip lag and under catch. In contrast, optical rainfall gauges use infrared light beams to detect individual raindrops as they pass through a sensing area, eliminating moving parts and reducing mechanical limitations. A key theorized benefit of optical gauges during high-intensity rainfall events is their ability to continuously measure drop passage without relying on physical tipping cycles. |
| Poster: | View Poster #85 (PDF) |
| Judges Scoring: | Submit Evaluation (judges only) |