Keywords
hydraulic transients, water distribution networks, vulnerability, multi-agent system, decision support
Start Date
1-7-2010 12:00 AM
Abstract
Managers of water supply companies must be concerned about the lack of integrity of their systems. The consequences are varied: service disruptions; pipe breaks causing water wastage; pipe cracks causing water leaks and pathogen intrusion, a serious human health risk. Despite its importance, water hammer, one of the main vulnerabilities of water systems, still represents a challenge, due to the high level of complexity this problem exhibits. It is a fact that decision making regarding this issue lack efficiency, since more powerful tools are needed. One of the drawbacks of computer packages for hydraulic transient simulation in complex systems resides in modelling complex devices encountered in real installations. Computer packages in the market model independent devices with accuracy. Yet, defining compound devices has proven problematic. The used trends to model complex devices are twofold. Either, to define each combination of simple elements as a new (simple, even though much more complex) element; or to link different simple elements by short pipes. The former produces multiplication of code, which renders packages inefficient. The latter is burdened by the Courant condition – a necessary condition for stability – that turns calculations non affordable both on grounds of time and computational resources. In this paper, a new platform to simulate transient phenomena in pipe networks, DIAGAST.ING, is presented. It uses a multi-agent approach to efficiently overcome the mentioned problems. Last but not least, a multi-agent-based system favours the parallelization of the calculation algorithm. We claim it is an efficient DSS in urban water management.
A multi-agent framework for an IEDSS in urban water management
Managers of water supply companies must be concerned about the lack of integrity of their systems. The consequences are varied: service disruptions; pipe breaks causing water wastage; pipe cracks causing water leaks and pathogen intrusion, a serious human health risk. Despite its importance, water hammer, one of the main vulnerabilities of water systems, still represents a challenge, due to the high level of complexity this problem exhibits. It is a fact that decision making regarding this issue lack efficiency, since more powerful tools are needed. One of the drawbacks of computer packages for hydraulic transient simulation in complex systems resides in modelling complex devices encountered in real installations. Computer packages in the market model independent devices with accuracy. Yet, defining compound devices has proven problematic. The used trends to model complex devices are twofold. Either, to define each combination of simple elements as a new (simple, even though much more complex) element; or to link different simple elements by short pipes. The former produces multiplication of code, which renders packages inefficient. The latter is burdened by the Courant condition – a necessary condition for stability – that turns calculations non affordable both on grounds of time and computational resources. In this paper, a new platform to simulate transient phenomena in pipe networks, DIAGAST.ING, is presented. It uses a multi-agent approach to efficiently overcome the mentioned problems. Last but not least, a multi-agent-based system favours the parallelization of the calculation algorithm. We claim it is an efficient DSS in urban water management.
