A New Standardized Inspection System for Periodic Visual Surveys of Water Storage Tanks and Pumping Stations
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 36, Issue 6
Abstract
The efficient planning of operation and maintenance (O&M) interventions and short-term investments requires adequate and tailored inspection protocols of existing infrastructures. The current study proposes a new standardized inspection system for periodic visual surveys of storage tanks and pumping stations of urban water infrastructures. The proposed system aims at identifying and classifying anomalies in terms of severity, intensity, and extension to evaluate the asset and its components deterioration. Inspection forms specific for water storage tanks and pumping stations are proposed. A set of 22 water storage tanks and 17 wastewater pumping stations located in Portugal were inspected using the developed system. Several anomalies’ interdependences have been identified based on advanced statistical analysis and correlation matrices. Results have also demonstrated that good O&M practices caused slow asset deterioration and increased the asset service life. Main lessons learned concerning the most frequent anomalies, the most frequent distressed components, and the influence of O&M practices in asset deterioration are summarized, allowing a more efficient management of urban water infrastructures. Future research should focus on a wider inspection survey to assess the effectiveness, comprehensiveness, and reliability of this standardized system and to extend it to other urban water assets (e.g., pipes and treatment facilities).
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are proprietary or confidential in nature and may only be provided with restrictions. Results from inspections can be provided without the identification of water utilities.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Foundation for Science and Technology (Ph.D. Grant No. SFRH/BD/117717/2016), Fundo de Apoio à Inovação and Water Intelligence System Data (WISDom) project (Grant No. DSAIPA/DS/0089/2018) for funding this research as well as to the Portuguese water utilities for providing the case studies and the required data. The authors are grateful for the Foundation for Science and Technology’s support through funding UIDB/04625/2020 from the research unit CERIS.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 36 • Issue 6 • December 2022
Copyright
© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 14, 2021
Accepted: Apr 1, 2022
Published online: Aug 27, 2022
Published in print: Dec 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jan 27, 2023
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Asset management
- Business management
- Construction engineering
- Construction management
- Energy infrastructure
- Energy storage
- Engineering fundamentals
- Equipment and machinery
- Financial management
- Infrastructure
- Inspection
- Lifeline systems
- Practice and Profession
- Pumping stations
- Storage tanks
- Tanks (by type)
- Water and water resources
- Water management
- Water storage
- Water supply
- Water supply systems
- Water tanks
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