Performance of bioretention experimental devices: contrasting laboratory and field scales through controlled experiments

ABSTRACT Studying the performance of LID devices on a laboratory scale has the advantage of flexible layouts, so that more factors can be tested. However, they do not always correspond to what happens on a real scale of application. This paper focuses on a comparative analysis between two bioretention experimental devices considering field and laboratory scales. Based on this comparison, our understanding can be enhanced to extrapolate the results. Flow rate and duration were used as the main equivalence parameters. However, these parameters were insufficient to ensure similarity in the results. We proposed to include control volume, an application rate and an equivalent net depth as new parameters. Further research should test the variation of these parameters.