Investigation of the Ability to Accurately Estimate Background Leakage Parameters in WDS Network Simulation Models
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 143, Issue 4
Abstract
Hydraulic models that include background leakage estimates can be used to support effective decision-making aimed at reducing leakage levels and improve the understanding of the leakage hydraulics of a system. However, this opportunity is dependent on the ability to estimate the background leakage parameters. The calibration procedure is often simplified by assuming that the leakage exponent is known () and that all pipes have the same leakage coefficient (parameter stratification). There is limited experience about the accuracy of background leakage calibration results. In this paper a Bayesian method for background leakage parameter estimation is developed, compared with a point calibration method, and the effects of assumptions about the leakage coefficient and the parameter stratification level have on the parameter estimation results are investigated. The results show that the assumption that is known is not always appropriate, and that overstratification can reduce the accuracy of the estimates. Accurate background leakage modeling will typically require calibration of multiple leakage coefficient and exponent pairs, which will necessitate better data than what is usually available in a water distribution system (WDS) today; the paper concludes by suggesting a data collection strategy that can be applied to achieve this goal.
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Acknowledgments
This research was funded by the Research Council of Norway (grant number 225784/O30) and Asplan Viak AS. The authors would like to thank Sergio Coelho and Diogo Vittorino from Baseform (baseform.com) for providing the data used in this paper, as well as Yves Le Gat and Håkon Tjelmeland for helpful comments with regards to the developed methods.
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Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 143 • Issue 4 • April 2017
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 19, 2016
Accepted: Sep 27, 2016
Published online: Jan 27, 2017
Published in print: Apr 1, 2017
Discussion open until: Jun 27, 2017
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