Optimal Sequence of Replacements in the Renovation of Water Distribution Networks Download

Water distribution networks (WDNs) are vital urban infrastructure. Aging components within WDNs pose a major concern due to their susceptibility to leakages. One possible strategy to addressing this issue -especially in severely degraded WDNs- is to replace a large part (up to 20%) of the conduit in the network (i.e., to perform a network renovation). However, the replacement of conduits presents challenges, especially in urban environments where construction must seamlessly integrate with city dynamics while minimizing disruptions to transportation infrastructure and water supply. Because of this, WDN renovation cannot be performed all at once, rather it requires a progressive and sequential replacement of conduits that can last months. Due to the nonlinear nature of the problem, it is expected that different sequences of conduits replacement will have different effects on the WDN dynamics. This study explores the existence of an optimal sequences of pipe replacement, that minimizes disturbances to users.