The emerging theory of vulnerability of water pipe networks intends to give an
important contribution for the design of this important component of water
supply systems, as well as, for the assessment, rehabilitation and management of
the existing ones. The fundamental contribution of this theory is to design water
pipe networks more robust since it is able to identify the most vulnerable parts of
them. The concept of vulnerability is associated with the disproportionateness of
the failure consequences in relation to the initial damage. It is not a theory of
robustness. The main objective of this research work is to explain how the risk of
a vulnerable failure scenario of a water pipe network may be accessed and how
the theory of vulnerability can be relevant