Pattern Recognition for Reliability Assessment of Water Distribution Networks

This study investigates the patterns that describe reliability of water distribution networks focusing to the node connectivity, energy balance, and economics of construction, operation and maintenance. A number of measures to evaluate the network resilience has been developed and assessed to arrive at more accurate diagnostics of regular and irregular demand scenarios. These measures have been proposed as a part of the methodology for snap-shot assessment of network reliability based on its configuration and hydraulic performance.

Practical outcome of the research is the decision support tool for reliability-based design of water distribution networks. This computer package named NEDRA (NEtwork Design and Reliability Assessment) consists of the modules for network generation, filtering, initialisation, optimisation, diagnostics and cost calculation, which can be used for sensitivity analyses of single network layout or assessments of multiple layouts.

The study concludes that none of the analysed aspects develops clear singular patterns. Nevertheless, the proposed network buffer index (NBI) and the hydraulic reliability diagram (HRD) as visual representation of the network resilience give sufficient snap-shot pointing the composition of the index value, and displaying possible weak points in the network that can be hidden behind the averaged values of various reliability measures.

Nemanja. Trifunovic is Associate Professor of Water Supply at UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education. He is specialist in the field of Water Transport and Distribution in general and in application of computer models in urban distribution networks in particular. Apart from lecturing assignments, he has been involved in guidance of MSc research as well as in organising various forms of training in his field, including the development of online learning modules in water distribution that are running since 2005. The major research interests are related to the hydraulic operation and asset management of water networks, namely the reliability assessment, intermittent supply, non-revenue water and water safety planning. In period 1995-1998 and 2001-2003 he was the Programme Director of The Sanitary Engineering Masters programme at UNESCO-IHE. Numerous missions he conducted in Africa, Asia and Middle East include participation in various capacity building projects and educational and training programmes. Since 2001, Mr.Trifunovic has been the Project Director of large capacity building projects conducted at universities in Ghana, and since 2010 in South Africa.