Detecting Topological Changes in Large Water Distribution Networks

The issue of detecting topological changes in pipe networks due to failing pipes is an important one, especially when performing reliability analysis of a water distribution system. This manuscript presents an improvement to a recently published algorithm, which used the pseudo-inversion of a system model matrix in order to solve a special linear version of a network simulation model for identifying the disconnected nodes. The new algorithm is based on the Cholesky incomplete factorization of the relevant system matrix. The improved algorithm is capable of automatically identifying nodes/pipes disconnected from the water source(s) in large networks. The algorithm is tested and verified on a case study involving a large network derived from a real-life system. The case study results clearly demonstrate the increased computational efficiency and the robustness of the improved algorithm when compared to the previously published one.