Improving Water Distribution Systems Robustness through Optimal Valve Installation

Abstract

This study proposes a framework for improving the robustness of water distribution systems using the optimal valve installation approach with regard to system reinforcement. To improve the robustness in valve design, this study introduces critical segment selection technique and optimal valve location determination within the concept of segment. Using the segment finding algorithm, the segment and the unintentional isolation can be identified. To select the critical segment, a multicriteria decision technique is applied by considering the hydraulic, social and economic effect. Finally, the optimal valve locations and the number of additional valves is determined by pipe failure analysis through the trade-off relationship with the number of additional valves and the maximum damage under pipe failure situations. To verify the proposed technique, the real-world water distribution systems are applied and compared with the original design.

Water Networks Management: New Perspectives

“…Optimization tools can be used to achieve energy efficiency in pressurized irrigation networks [10] and also to indicate the optimal re-chlorination locations and doses in water supply systems [3]. Optimization tools can be also used to identify the optimal valve installation for improving the robustness of water distribution systems [6]. Statistical tools and techniques were used to examine residential drinking water demand [7], while water evaluation and planning models were used to analyze trends in water use and demand [5].…”

“…A framework for improving the robustness of water distribution systems using the optimal valve installation approach with regard to system reinforcement was developed by Choi et al [6]. To improve the robustness in valve design, three approaches were applied, namely segment finding algorithm, critical segment selection technique, and valve location determination.…”

Robustness and Water Distribution System: State-of-the-Art Review

“…In this study, WDS management is defined as the organization and coordination of system monitoring and failure response activities to achieve the system's water supply goal. Over the last decade, few efforts have been made to introduce ROB in management activities such as pipe burst detection and segment isolation [2,50]. A pipe burst is the rupture caused by pipe deterioration, excessive pressure, and earthquakes, which should be promptly detected and located to repair or replace with a new pipe to avoid further collateral damage [8].…”

“…Numerous data-driven methods have been proposed to detect abnormal patterns in system hydraulic data (pressure and pipe flow) measured in a meter network (a group of meters installed over the system) [51,52]. Once a pipe burst is located, adjacent valves are shut down for recovery actions, which can cause water service interruptions in the area bounded by the valves (i.e., segment) [2,13,14].…”

“…The resilience of a water distribution system (WDS) is defined as its ability to prepare, respond to, and recover from a catastrophic failure event such as an earthquake or intentional contamination [1,2]. Therefore, resilience considers the following system performance characteristics before, during, and after the failure: Robustness (ROB), redundancy (REDU), rapidity (RAP), and resourcefulness (RES) (the so-called 4Rs) [1,3].…”