Back to results

Virginia Tech

Strategic valve locations in a water distribution system

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Valves play a critical role in a water distribution system for subsystem isolation and flow or pressure control. Among them, subsystem isolation is required to repair or to rehabilitate a broken component and can be done by closing adjacent valves. To evaluate the role of valves, the concept of "Segment" is necessary. A segment consists of a set of pipes and nodes isolated together by closing adjacent valves when a pipe fails. An efficient algorithm to identify segments in a water distribution system is proposed. In addition, when a segment is isolated, an additional subsystem may be disconnected from water sources by the segment isolation. It is a topological unintended isolation. In addition, a hydraulic failure, in terms of pressure types of failures at demand nodes should be considered. These three account for the failure impact of a pipe. Placing valves efficiently improves the reliability of a water distribution system. However, the valve reliability itself is not 100%. Therefore, valve failure consequence should be explored in determining the locations of valves. For this purpose, three methodologies, namely segment-valve matrix algorithm, decision tree approach and simulation are proposed. Another consideration for placing valves is a strategic valving rule, namely N and (N-1) valving rules. Using a formulation for node reliability in terms of failing valves, the reliability difference between the two valving rules is evaluated. We also employ a mixed N and (N-1) valving rule. Another strategic valving rule, a segment size reducing approach minimizing the number of affected customers is proposed. The developed algorithms are utilized to build software, the Strategic Valve Management Model, to solve practical problems. The methodology is applied to three real water distribution systems.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Civil Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Civil Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2005

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Jun, Hwandon
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Loganathan, G. V.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Trani, Antonio A.
  • Lohani, Vinod K.
  • Younos, Tamim
  • Kibler, David F.

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-05242005-212555
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/27875

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Jun, Hwandon. Strategic valve locations in a water distribution system. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27875