Multi-Level Control and Utilization of Stormwater Runoff

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The paper is about purification of rain water runoff. 

Introduction is fine and literature review is adequately done. However, few points mentioned below needs attention

1. Schematic sketch of porous asphalt pavement with varying thickness of various layer should be added in the manuscript. Grain size distribution of pavement material should be added.

2. Statistical analysis of the data can be added to strength the manuscript

3. Conclusion should be rephrased and presented point wise.

4. Limitations of the proposed technique and societal impact can be added in the manuscript

 

Author Response

Response letter

Dear editors,

Thank you very much for your letter and for the reviewers' comments on our manuscript entitled "Multi level control and utilization of stormwater runoff" (Manuscript Number: applsci-1889987). Based on the reviews, we have revised this paper extensively. We hope that our manuscript would merit consideration for publication in your journal.

The reviewer comments are laid out below in italicized font, and specific comments/suggestions have been numbered. Our response was given in standard font, and changes/additions to the manuscript were marked in red text. We hope the manuscript will meet your standards. Below you will find point-by-point responses to the reviewers' comments.

Responses to the reviewer's comments:

Reviewer #1: 

Thank you very much for your valuable comments. We have revised the manuscript according to your advice.

1. Comment:Schematic sketch of porous asphalt pavement with varying thickness of various layershould be added in the manuscript. Grain size distribution of pavement material should be added.

Response: We revised figure.1 and added the contents of schematic sketch of porous asphalt pavement with varying thickness of various layer. We used the porosity at different locations (24.1%, 29.5% and 31.7%) to characterize the grain size distribution of pavement material. The revised figure.1 is shown as follows:

 

2. Comment:Statistical analysis of the data can be added to strength the manuscript?

Response: According to your suggestions, we added the details of the sample size for each treatment (n = number of replications per treatment) in figures 2-3, 6-8 and table 1. Statistics (mean +/- SE) used in the study have been supplemented in abstract and Figures 6-8, table 2. 

3. Comment:Conclusion should be rephrased and presented point wise.

Response: Just as you suggested, to make the conclusion section more clear, we rephrased our conclusions and included the point-by-point findings of this article in line 444-475 (revised version).

Comment: Limitations of the proposed technique and societal impact can be added in the manuscript.

Response: Just as you suggested, we added the relevant contents of limitations of the proposed technique in line 470-475 (revised version): However, use of the PBT-GR system should consider the source of irrigation rainwater during a drought period, the appropriate selection of vegetables to be planting hydroponically, the specific mechanisms of degradation of pollutants and the physiological and ecological changes experienced by vegetables planting using this system. On the other hand, we added the societal impact in line 435-439 (revised version): This result further supports the feasibility of this approach for water quality treatment. Moreover, placing ecological treatment facilities on roofs can help alleviate the problems associated with excessive land use and urban heat island effect. These systems have the advantages of low operating costs, conservation of building energy, and reduction of emissions.

 

 

Once again, thanks again for your suggestions.

Sincerely yours,

Yuhang Zuo, Hui Luo, Mingzhi Song, Baojie He, Bingxin Cai

Address: College of Civil and Ocean Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University,

 210037, China

Phone: +86 15298396023

Fax number: +8625-85427763

Email address: [email protected]

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors presented a well-written paper with the substantial scientific potential.  However, several minor issues need to be addressed by the authors. These issues are listed in the following points:

·       Abstract shows a lot of numerical values regarding performed research. For the sake of paper readability, the authors should be focused on the main numerical indicators, and revise the abstract in this manner.

·       The authors did not provide the links between the proposed research/experiment and natural-based solutions widely applied to reduce the negative impacts on the urban environment. The green roofs are considered as natural-based solutions, therefore this link should be provided especially in the abstract, introduction and conclusion sections.

·       The authors may describe the replication potential of the conducted research/experiment and its implementation in the real world.

Author Response

Response letter

Dear editors,

Thank you very much for your letter and for the reviewers' comments on our manuscript entitled "Multi level control and utilization of stormwater runoff" (Manuscript Number: applsci-1889987). Based on the reviews, we have revised this paper extensively. We hope that our manuscript would merit consideration for publication in your journal.

The reviewer comments are laid out below in italicized font, and specific comments/suggestions have been numbered. Our response was given in standard font, and changes/additions to the manuscript were marked in red text. We hope the manuscript will meet your standards. Below you will find point-by-point responses to the reviewers' comments.

Responses to the reviewer's comments:

Reviewer #2: 

Thank you very much for your valuable comments. We have revised the manuscript according to your advice.

1. Comment:Abstract shows a lot of numerical values regarding performed research. For the sake of paper readability, the authors should be focused on the main numerical indicators, and revise the abstract in this manner.

Response: Just as you suggested, we have deleted some data to focused on the main numerical indicators in line 16-20 (revised version).

2. Comment:The authors did not provide the links between the proposed research/experiment and natural-based solutions widely applied to reduce the negative impacts on the urban environment. The green roofs are considered as natural-based solutions, therefore this link should be provided especially in the abstract, introduction and conclusion sections.

Response: According to your suggestions, we added the details of natural-based solutions (green roofs) in line 58-60 and 78-81(revised version) in introduction. The content was that “The PBT-GR system integrates a green roof with a stormwater ecological treatment unit. The addition of a small amount of light filler into a green roof can not only effectively reduce the bulk density of the roof, but also enable additional water storage by the system.”. On the other hand, we added the links between the proposed research/experiment and natural-based solutions in line 464-466 (revised version), the content was that “The current study showed that the PBT-GR system was able to effectively treat and utilize road rainfall-runoff and that the system has the advantages of low operation cost, a small volume and density and is environmentally friendly.”

3. Comment:The authors may describe the replication potential of theconducted research/experiment and its implementation in the real world.

Response: Just as you suggested, we added the relevant contents of limitations in the real world of the PBT-GR system in line 470-475 (revised version): However, use of the PBT-GR system should consider the source of irrigation rainwater during a drought period, the appropriate selection of vegetables to be planting hydroponically, the specific mechanisms of degradation of pollutants and the physiological and ecological changes experienced by vegetables planting using this system. On the other hand, we added the replication potential of the conducted research/experiment in line 435-439 (revised version): This result further supports the feasibility of this approach for water quality treatment. Moreover, placing ecological treatment facilities on roofs can help alleviate the problems associated with excessive land use and urban heat island effect. These systems have the advantages of low operating costs, conservation of building energy, and reduction of emissions.

 

Once again, thanks again for your suggestions.

Sincerely yours,

Yuhang Zuo, Hui Luo, Mingzhi Song, Baojie He, Bingxin Cai

Address: College of Civil and Ocean Engineering, Jiangsu Ocean University,

 210037, China

Phone: +86 15298396023

Fax number: +8625-85427763

Email address: [email protected]

Author Response File: Author Response.docx