IDF Curves Using the Frank Archimedean Copula

This study aims at deriving intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves from bivariate rainfall frequency analysis using the copula method, which does not assume the rainfall variables to be independent or normal or have the same type of marginal distributions. The bivariate distributions are then employed to determine conditional return periods and IDF curves needed for urban drainage design. The IDF curves are tested using rainfall data from catchments in Louisiana and are also compared with those of Technical Paper 40 (TP-40) of the U.S. National Weather Service as well as those published in the literature.