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Title:	Development of a proactive rehabilitation strategy for water distribution systems : (a case study Benghazi, Libya)
Authors:	Bubtiena Abdel Wahab Mohamad (P 49168)
Supervisor:	Othman Jaafar, Dr.
Keywords:	Water-supply engineering
Issue Date:	13-Jan-2013
Description:	A water distribution system is one of the most important infrastructures that play a crucial role in the successful functioning of any nation. It ensures basic health to the community and acts a major driver for future growth and economic development. However, as the distribution system ages, its pipes deteriorate and the probability of failure increases. Pipe deterioration resulting in a reduction in the water carrying capacity and substantial repair costs. Pipe deterioration can also pose potential dangers by temporarily reducing fire fighting capabilities and pose higher risk of water contamination. Rehabilitation strategy for pipes becomes necessary when they frequently break leading to those frequent customer interruptions. However, it is not practical or economically possible to rehabilitate the entire length of the network. Consequently, the intent has always been the provision of reliable models for predicting the future breakage rate for each individual pipe in the water network so that the water utilities can arrive at intelligent proactive rehabilitation strategy. In this thesis, models using artificial neural networks (ANN) techniques are developed for predicting the pipe breakage rate for each individual pipe in the network as a platform for the future rehabilitation strategies. The efficiency of ANNs models is investigated when the most influential factors are selected based on a combination of expert knowledge and analytical approaches. The newly developed strategy is capable of finding the optimal time of pipe replacement prior to break considering the minimum total operation cost and the maximum levels of services for structural, hydraulic, water quality and social-economy performances. The models and methodologies developed in this study are based upon pipe breakage incident data from the city of Benghazi, Libya. In this study, failures for each pipe in the network were assessed and future risk levels and renewal requirements of a particular group of pipes were determined. The hydraulic capacity of the network is enhanced significantly by replacing the aging pipes and a considerable amount of performance enhancement was achieved. The average annual cost of pipes replacement can be minimized due as a result of planned prioritization. The proposed strategy was also capable of recognizing the effects of individual pipe replacement on the other part of the pipe network. In general, the performance improvements of the network had a considerable impact on the main hydraulic and water quality characteristics of the network, where these characteristics are improved throughout the rehabilitation period. Moreover, breakage rate of the network was significantly reduced. Therefore, the introduced strategy provided reliable models for predicting the future breakage rate for each individual pipe in the water network, in addition to evaluating procedures for the water network performance through, an integrated and intelligent proactive rehabilitation strategy. .,Ph.D
Pages:	339
Call Number:	TD481.B834 2013
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment / Fakulti Kejuruteraan dan Alam Bina

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