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Year: 2026 | Month: October | Volume: 13 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 141-149

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20261013

Modeling Intensity–Duration–Frequency Curves for Rainstorms in the Cities of Tabligbo and Atakpamé, Southern Togo

K. Senanou GBAFA^1,3, K. Sena APEKE², Kokou WOTODZO¹

¹Laboratoire de Structure et de Mécanique des Matériaux, ²Laboratoire de Recherche en sciences de l’ingénieur,
³Laboratoire de geosciences Eau et Environnement: Université de Lomé Togo

Corresponding Author: K. Senanou GBAFA

ABSTRACT

Reducing flood-related disaster risk requires an understanding of climatic factors such as rainfall, and in particular, storm intensities. Intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves are therefore an indispensable tool for sustainable urban planning specialists. An analysis of the storm intensity characteristics of the cities of Tabligbo and Atakpamé in southern Togo was carried out. Pluviographic data from the Tabligbo and Atakpamé stations were collected over periods of 18 and 16 years, respectively. The various distribution fits were assessed using the chi-square (χ²) and Anderson–Darling tests. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) showed that the Gumbel distribution (GEV I) best describes short-duration rainfall of 5 and 10 minutes for Atakpamé, and durations shorter than 55 minutes for Tabligbo. Longer-duration rainfall—greater than 40 minutes for Atakpamé and 60 minutes for Tabligbo—follows the GEV III distribution. A comparison of the root means square errors and correlation coefficients of four empirical equations (Montana, Talbot, Keifer & Chu, and Wanielista) showed that the Keifer & Chu formula best describes the maximum average rainfall in the cities of Atakpamé and Tabligbo. The Montana formula, commonly used in previous models, remains effective for the city of Atakpamé, but for the city of Tabligbo it produces larger quadratic errors than the other formulas. Accordingly, intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves were established for the cities of Atakpamé and Tabligbo for return periods of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 years.

Keywords: Modeling, maximum precipitation, Intensity–Duration–Frequency, Atakpamé, Tabligbo, Southern Togo.

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