Engineering Proceedings, Volume 69, Issue 1

In submitting conference proceedings to Engineering Proceedings, the volume editors of the proceedings certify to the publisher that all contributions published in this volume have been subjected to peer review administered by the volume editors [...]

Escalating energy costs in recent years have spurred an examination of energy cost reduction strategies. Among these, exploring spot markets and building photovoltaic power plants at water facilities have emerged as promising options. This study focu...

The article presents in detail a proposed methodology for ILI estimation based on the analysis and measurement of minimum nighttime flow, along with results of the application of the methodology. The methodology responds to the EU directive referred...

In 2010, Vitens embarked on a strategic initiative to transition towards data-driven decision-making, with a primary focus on enhancing resilience through the identification of future infrastructure alternatives. This endeavor aligns with the overarc...

WATERVERSE utilize Multi-Stakeholder Forums (MSFs) to engage diverse stakeholders from the water sector. Forums foster dialogue to establish a current state and future vision of data ecosystems. Upcoming forums will explores risks, barriers, opportun...

Attempts have been made to detect and locate leakage using hydraulic transients; however, there has been limited success under field-based conditions on operational systems. It is believed that this is partly due to fire hydrants, the most convenient...

Leakages in water distribution networks still pose major challenges to water utilities. Despite numerous technological advances, the adoption of digital leakage detection technology remains a slow process. Here, we present the project iOLE—inte...

This paper presents machine learning analysis to understand the factors impacting iron concentrations and discolouration customer contacts in drinking water distribution systems. Fourteen years of network sampling and additional data from a large UK...

Modelling and assessing water quality parameters in water distribution networks is essential for providing safe drinking water to end users. While simulation-based modeling approaches rely on costly differentiation for numerical solvers, surrogate mo...

The challenge in water demand forecasting within a Northeast Italy water distribution network (WDN) involves predicting demands across ten distinct District Metered Areas (DMAs) with varying characteristics and demand profiles. This is critical for o...

The dynamics of biofilm detachment from the pipe walls of drinking water distribution systems was investigated through experiments in a full-scale pipe loop laboratory system. Biofilms grown under steady-state and transitory flow rates were compared....

This research aims to present relevant developments carried out in the domains of energy recovery and the associated digital technology in the water sector. These include the implementation of digital twins of a PRV and energy converters. Several per...

This paper presents the development of a Digital Twin (DTwin) to detect and localize the leaks in water distribution networks (WDNs), using single-stage and two-stage data-driven models. In the single-stage model, we test the anomalies in the dataset...

First flush is one of the key phenomena in the dynamics of pollutants in urban drainage. It is affected by a number of factors, like the characteristics of urban surfaces and drainage systems, the rainfall patterns, the street sweeping frequency and...

This research explores the influence of chronic, small-amplitude hydraulic transients on biofilm development within water distribution systems (WDSs). Utilizing a unique experimental setup, it contrasts the biofilm dynamics under steady and transient...

Hydraulic transient data assimilation in pipe networks plays a critical role in monitoring the network’s behaviours, thereby ensuring the efficiency and reliability of water supply systems. However, the existing Kalman filter-based methods inte...

This research explores the microbial ecology within drinking water distribution systems (DWDS). The aim of the paper was to examine the impact of small-amplitude transients on the bacterial composition in bulk water and biofilms. The findings highlig...

The present work presents a bi-objective optimization methodology, which is aimed at simultaneously minimizing the total installation costs of management systems as well as urban flooding, as a tool to be conveniently adopted as part of a decision su...

A water treatment works in the UK endured elevated inlet turbidity and iron concentrations following increased demands in the raw water supply main, reducing its capacity by blocking filters that required costly extra cleaning. Adding flow and turbid...

This paper presents an optimal scheduling problem for coordinating pressure and self-cleaning operations in dynamically adaptive water networks. Our problem imposes a set of time-coupling constraints to manage pressure variations during the transitio...

Water distribution systems (WDSs) are critical infrastructure systems designed to safely supply water to consumers. As complex systems, they require constant operational decision-making, which is often the result of an optimization process. WDSs requ...

Understanding the interactions between hydraulic conditions and the accumulation of discolouration material in drinking water distribution systems is crucial to help identify risk locations and inform effective maintenance. With two accumulation proc...

An EPA-SWMM model was used for the simulation of the intermittent water distribution system (WDS) of a small municipality in southern Italy. The model was compared with field data collected during an experimental campaign carried out in the intermitt...

A multi-model including three modelling elements is developed to solve the Battle of Water Demand Forecasting problem. The first two modelling elements working in parallel are a pattern-based algorithm and a Random Forest model. By varying the algori...

This study investigates the transient flow dynamics and pressure interactions within Tesla valve configurations through comprehensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Previous observations indicated that Tesla valves effectively reduce...

Water distribution systems (WDSs) are designed to deliver potable water across urban areas. Unpredicted changes in water demands and hydraulics can increase the residence time in pipes, leading to the growth of microbes and decreased water quality at...

This paper presents an EPANET pressure-dependent analysis-based method for analyzing bursts in every pipe in a water supply system (WSS) and applies the method to large Finnish WSSs. EPANET is enhanced with the per-junction required and minimum press...

Traditionally, acoustic methods for leak inspection are based on the measurement of the acceleration of the external pipe wall or of the acoustic pressure in the pipe. This work presents an alternative inspection methodology based on measuring the ac...

A method for a real-time now- and forecasting hydraulic and quality simulation model for combined sewer networks, based on an enhanced version of the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) simulator, with added support for storing the hot start file at...

In water-scarce regions, it is common to design water networks for a continuous supply but operate them intermittently, resulting in a potentially inequitable supply. We analyze the case of a network in Central India designated to supply water to 107...

In this study, the efficacy of varying spoiler design parameters on regulating dead-end contaminant diffusion was investigated using particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology. The optimal spoiler design parameters were identified under low Reynolds...

Distribution Networks operate dynamically due to variable water consumption, but optimal operation is hindered by leakages, which increase treatment costs, energy consumption, and water shortage risks. Detecting and locating leaks, especially slow or...

Water distribution systems (WDSs) play a vital rule in communities, ensuring well-being and supporting social and economic growth. Consequently, they are recognized as critical infrastructures for which identifying priorities in design and maintenanc...

Leakage is a major issue faced by utilities across the world. Background leaks constitute a large component, and their small size makes it challenging to localize. This paper presents a hydraulic model-based approach to localize background leaks. The...

Combined sewer systems contain flow-dividing structures. These provide retention volumes for hydraulic overloads of the sewer system during storm weather events. The operation of these structures can be optimized by adjusting the continuous flows of...

Water management is vital for building an adaptive and resilient society. Water demand forecasting aids water management by learning the underlying relationship between consumption and governing variables for optimal supply. In this paper, we propose...

This paper introduces a two-step methodology for short-term water demand forecasting. In the first step, a pre-processing analysis of the inflow input data is conducted to evaluate completeness and quality, ensuring optimal data integrity. Subsequent...

Machine learning’s application in short-term water demand forecasting remains a pivotal area of research in water distribution system studies. This investigation reveals a distinctive distribution pattern for the daily demand following dataset...

This paper demonstrates the synergistic use of engineering judgment and statistical/deep learning models, implemented through a four-step process using the software SAS Viya 4. Initial data filtering, input variable determination, and simultaneous ap...

The use of machine learning models for short-term network flow prediction has become increasingly widespread in recent years. Existing data-driven models are usually able to achieve good accuracy, but machine learning models are usually weakly interp...

In this work, the impact of the actual pulsed nature of demand on the water quality sensor placement problem was investigated. The optimization was carried out by minimizing alternatively the extent of contamination and exposed population to ingestio...

One of the main problems of water distribution systems is the management and the evaluation of water losses. At the Laboratory of Hydraulics and Maritime Constructions at the Università Politecnica delle Marche, experimental research on this t...

Recent research has focused on the dynamic control and regulation of hydraulic devices like pumps and turbines to enhance the efficiency of water systems. These devices are adjusted to maintain nearly optimal hydraulic conditions and operating effici...

Sensors are a key component of water distribution networks due to their role in monitoring system variables. Specifically, water quality (WQ) sensors are utilized to measure chlorine concentrations in order to maintain water quality standards. Howeve...

This article describes the development and implementation of a water resource management system utilizing open technologies such as the ESP32 microcontroller and MicroPython. This system stands out for its low cost, high efficiency and adaptability t...

Biofilm formation in drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs) poses challenges to water quality and system integrity. Traditional measurement methods often involve intrusive techniques, disrupting the biofilm ecosystem, while non-intrusive methods...

Intermittent water supply (IWS) systems, originally intended for continuous supply, have been compelled to adopt intermittent supply due to factors such as water scarcity, financial limitations, ineffective operational tactics, unexpected increases i...

Water quality problems due to stagnation during periods of low or no demand in buildings, such as the growth of Legionella bacteria, may arise in potable cold and hot water systems. Premise plumbing installations should therefore be designed and cons...

Accurate water demand forecasting is crucial for the effective operation and management of water distribution networks. Predicting future water demand empowers utilities to optimally operate system components. Various data-driven methodologies have b...

The aim of the present work is to test a novel Reverse Unidirectional Flushing (R-UDF) approach to achieve an enhanced removal rate of iron oxide particles from drinking water pipes. The project utilized a full-scale PVC pipe loop laboratory system t...