Optimal design of water distribution networks with reliability considerations

Abstract

The overall aim of this research has been to develop new algorithms and computer software that may be used to assess the reliability of water distribution systems. Such a tool can be used by design engineers to create systems which are both economical in total cost commensurate with meeting targets for a specified level of reliability.The introduction describes how water supply and distribution systems are normally designed, what they comprise and problems associated with failure or lack of availability of an adequate supply to the end user. This is followed by a resume of current methods and algorithms for the analysis of networks and a detailed examination of the previous work on network optimisation and reliability. Three main algorithms exist for the analysis of water networks. These are the Hardy-Cross methods, the Newton-Raphson methods and the Linear method. A computer program based on the Linear method, which is known to be the most reliable, is proposed for the hydraulic analysis part of the present work. With respect to reliability, a full discussion of the topic, including all the various factors which influence it such as the stochastic nature of customer demands, the apparently random occurrence of pipe breakages and the concept of repair time, is presented. A reliability analysis model, that incorporates simultaneously the three reliability factors mentioned, for the assessment of nodal and system availabilities, is proposed, from which an efficient computer program has been developed and tested. Two models for the design of optimal water distribution systems, based on reliability criteria, have been developed, programmed and tested. The first model makes use of the entropy principle for producing 'reliable' distributions of flow and the Linear Programming technique is used for computation of the least cost design. In the second model, however, a Genetic Algorithm procedure, that incorporates the new reliability analysis model and which is superior to other models has been formulated. The thesis concludes with a comparison between the two methods formulated as a result of this research and applied to realistic practical systems, plus suggestions for further work to improve the optimisation of water distribution networks