Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Water flows required for fire protection (fire flows) from water distribution systems (WDS) in rural towns in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, were evaluated as part of this research project. The fire flow requirements specified in different South African guidelines, as well as a number of international standards, were compared. Various guidelines and codes used in South Africa, including the South African National Standards, specify fire flow requirements according to the risk category of the area concerned. Alternative methods of firefighting and new firefighting technologies that can reduce the reliance on potable water resources for firefighting were evaluated. The traditional method of designing a WDS to provide potable water for firefighting, commonly employed in South African municipal areas formed the focus of the study. The potential fire risk costs (potential costs of damages if a fire was to occur) should also be considered, in addition to the network construction costs, when designing a WDS, in order to determine the most economically feasible option. Data obtained from the fire departments of three municipalities in rural towns of the Western Cape, was analysed to determine the actual flow rates that were required to extinguish fires in these towns. The records considered covered approximately one year in each case and included a total of 564 fire incident reports suitable for this study. According to the data, a small fraction (11%) of the fires was extinguished using water from the WDS by connecting firefighting equipment directly to a fire hydrant. The majority of the fires were extinguished by means of water ejected from a firefighting vehicle. This method implies the use of water drawn from the potable network at a certain location; the water is shuttled by firefighting vehicles, from either the fire station or from a central abstraction point in the WDS. The location of the said abstraction point was found to have a notable impact on the WDS and this received attention in this study. The data showed that 99.8% of the flows required in rural towns were lower than the flows recommended for moderate risk areas in typical South African guidelines. Hydraulic modelling of a hypothetical WDS model was conducted to illustrate that the provision of fire flows according to commonly used South African fire flow standards leads to higher costs. The latter hypothetical case study illustrates that designing a network to provide fire flows according to the referred standards resulted in 15% higher costs, compared to designing a network that would have provided for the actual recorded fire flows according to the data set obtained from the selected rural towns compiled for this study. The hypothetical case study also showed that the cost for a WDS, where sufficient pressure is required at all hydrants during peak fire flows, is 2.4% higher than the cost for a distribution system where water is supplied via predetermined hydrants for refilling firefighting vehicles. A WDS with central, predetermined abstraction points for refilling firefighting vehicles offers a solution to providing fire flows in areas where the distribution systems may be inadequate. The revision of the current fire flow standards of South Africa would, therefore, be a logical next step along with the reassessment of methods used for supplying fire flows. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Water vloei vir brandbestryding (brandvloei) uit waterverspreidingstelsels (WVS) in plattelandse dorpe in die Wes-Kaap, Suid Afrika, is as deel van hierdie navorsingsprojek geëvalueer. Die brandvloei soos gespesifiseer in verskillende Suid-Afrikaanse riglyne, asook ʼn aantal internasionale standaarde is vergelyk. Verskeie riglyne en kodes wat in Suid-Afrika gebruik word, insluitende die Suid-Afrikaanse Nasionale Standaarde, spesifiseer brandvloei-vereistes op grond van die risiko-kategorie van ʼn spesifieke gebied. ʼn Verskeidenheid alternatiewe metodes vir brandbestryding en nuwe brandbestrydings-tegnologieë is ondersoek, om sodoende die afhanklikheid van ons beperkte drinkbare waterbronne vir brandbestryding te verminder. Die tradisionele metode om water aan munisipale areas te voorsien, die gebruik van ʼn WVS, is ook geassesseer. Hierdie metodes dui daarop dat die potensiële brandgevaar-kostes (potensiële koste van skade indien ʼn brand sou plaas vind) ook in ag geneem moet word, tesame met die konstruksie kostes van ʼn WVS, om sodoende die mees ekonomies haalbare netwerk te bepaal. Data wat verkry is vanaf die brandweer departement van drie plattelandse munisipaliteite in die Wes-Kaap is ontleed om die werklike vloei-tempos vas te stel wat nodig was om brande te blus in hierdie dorpe. Die data is verkry vir ʼn tydperk van een jaar en 564 brandverslae was bruikbaar vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie. Volgens die data was ʼn lae aantal (11%) van die brande geblus vanuit die WVS deur die koppeling van brandbestrydingstoerusting direk aan ʼn brandkraan. Die meeste van die brande is geblus met behulp van water wat voorsien is deur ʼn brandbestrydingsvoertuig. Met hierdie metode word water deur die brandbestrydings-voertuie aangery vanaf die brandweerstasie of onttrek vanuit ʼn sentrale ontrekkingspunt in die WVS. Daar is gevind dat die ligging van laasgenoemde ontrekkingspunt ʼn beduidende impak op die WVS het – hierdie aspek is daarom verder ondersoek. Die data het getoon dat 99.8% van die vloei-tempo’s wat nodig is om brande te blus in plattelandse dorpe, laer is as die brandvloei riglyne vir matige risiko-areas volgens tipes Suid-Afrikaanse standaarde. Hidrouliese modellering van ʼn hipotetiese WVS is uitgevoer om te illustreer dat die verskaffing van brandvloei volgens die standaarde wat algemeen gebruik word, hoër kostes tot gevolg het. Die laasgenoemde hipotetiese gevallestudie illustreer dat ʼn netwerk ontwerp om brandvloei te verskaf volgens die huidige standaarde 15% duurder is as vir netwerke wat ontwerp is om die werklike aangetekende brandvloei te voorsien soos getoon deur die veld-data wat vir hierdie studie verkry is. Die hipotetiese gevallestudie het ook getoon dat die koste vir ʼn WVS, waar voldoende drukke gehandhaaf moet word by alle brandkrane terwyl piek brand vloeie voorsien word, 2.4% duurder is as vir ʼn WVS waar die brandvloei verskaf word by voorafbepaalde brandkrane vir die hervulling van brandbestrydingsvoertuie. ʼn WVS met sentrale onttrekkingspunte vir die hervulling van brandbestrydingsvoertuie, bied ʼn metode om brandvloei te voorsien in gebiede waar die WVS onvoldoende is, bv. informele nedersettings. Die hersiening van die huidige brandvloei standaarde van Suid Afrika sou dus ʼn logiese volgende stap wees, tesame met die herevaluering van die metodes wat gebruik word vir die verskaffing van brandvloei.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The expected peak water demand in a water distribution system (WDS) is an important consideration for WDS design purposes. In South Africa the most common method of estimating peak demand is by multiplying the average demand by a dimensionless peak factor. A peak factor is the ratio between the maximum flow rate (which refers to the largest volume of flow to be received during a relatively short time period, say , expressed as the average volume per unit time), and the average flow rate over an extended time period. The magnitude of the peak factor will vary, for a given daily water demand pattern, depending on the chosen value of . The design guidelines available give no clear indication of the time intervals most appropriate for different peak factor applications. It is therefore important to gain a better understanding regarding the effect of on the derived peak factor. A probability based end-use model was constructed as part of this study to derive diurnal residential indoor water demand patterns on a temporal scale of one second. These stochastically derived water demand patterns were subsequently used to calculate peak factors for different values of , varying from one second to one hour. The end-use model derived the water demand patterns by aggregating the synthesised end-use events of six residential indoor end-uses of water in terms of the water volume required, duration and the time of occurrence of each event. The probability distributions describing the end-use model parameters were derived from actual end-use measurements that had previously been collected in a noteworthy North-American end-use project (Mayer et al., 1999). The original comprehensive database, which included water measurements from both indoor and outdoor end-uses, was purchased for use in this project. A single execution of the end-use model resulted in the synthesised diurnal water demand pattern for a single household. The estimated water demand pattern for simultaneous water demand by groups of households was obtained by adding individual iterations of the end-use model, considering group sizes of between one and 2 000 households in the process. A total of 99 500 model executions were performed, which were statistically aggregated by applying the Monte Carlo method and forming 4 950 unique water demand scenarios representing 29 different household group sizes. For each of the 4 950 water demand scenarios, a set of peak factors was derived for eight selected values. The end-use model presented in this study yielded realistic indoor water demand estimations when compared to publications from literature. In agreement with existing knowledge, as expected, an inverse relationship was evident between the magnitude of the peak factors and . The peak factors across all time intervals were also found to be inversely related to the number of households, which agreed with other publications from literature. As the number of households increased, the degree to which the peak factor was affected by the time intervals decreased. This study explicitly demonstrated the effect of time intervals on peak factors. The results of this study could act as the basis for the derivation of a practical design guideline for estimating peak indoor flows in a WDS, and the work could be extended in future to include outdoor water demand and sensitivity to WDS pressure. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verwagte water spitsaanvraag is ‘n belangrike oorweging in die ontwerp van ‘n waterverspreidingsnetwerk. Die mees algemene metode in Suid Afrika om spitsaanvraag te bereken is deur die gemiddelde wateraanvraag te vermeningvuldig met ‘n dimensielose spitsfaktor. ‘n Spitsfaktor is die verhouding tussen die maksimum watervloei tempo (wat verwys na die grootste volume water wat ontvang sal word tydens ‘n relatiewe kort tydsinterval, , uitgedruk as die gemiddelde volume per tyd eenheid), en die gemiddelde watervloei tempo gedurende ‘n verlengde tydsinterval. Die grootte van die spitsfaktor sal varieer vir ‘n gegewe daaglikse vloeipatroon, afhangende van die verkose waarde. Die beskikbare ontwerpsriglyne is onduidelik oor watter tydsintervalle meer geskik is vir die verskillende spitsfaktor toepassings. Daarom is dit belangrik om ‘n beter begrip te verkry ten opsigte van die effek van op die verkrygde spitsfaktor. ‘n Waarskynliksheidsgebaseerde eindverbruik model is opgestel om deel te vorm van hierdie studie, om daaglikse residensiële binnenshuise wateraanvraag patrone af te lei op ‘n temporale skaal van een sekonde. Die stogasties afgeleide wateraanvraag patrone is daarna gebruik om die verskeie spitsfaktore te bereken vir verskillende waardes van , wat varieer vanaf een sekonde tot een uur. Die eindverbruik model stel die daaglikse vloeipatroon van een huis saam deur die eindeverbruik gebeure van ses residensiële binnenshuise eindverbruike saam te voeg in terme van the vereiste water volume en die tyd van voorkoms van elke gebeurtenis. Die waarskynliksheids distribusie wat die eindverbruik model parameters omskryf is verkry van werklike gemete eindverbruik waardes, wat voorheen in ‘n beduidende Noord-Amerikaanse eindverbruik projek (Mayer et al. 1999) versamel is. Die oorspronklike en omvattende databasis, wat gemete waardes van binnenshuis en buite water verbruik ingesluit het, is aangekoop vir gebruik gedurende hierdie projek. ‘n Enkele uitvoering van die eindverbruik model stel gevolglik ‘n daaglikse wateraanvraag patroon saam vir ‘n elkele huishouding. Die wateraanvraag patroon vir gelyktydige water verbruik deur groepe huishoudings is verkry deur individuele iterasies van die eindverbruik model statisties bymekaar te tel met die Monte Carlo metode, terwyl groep groottes van tussen een en 2 000 huishoudings in die proses oorweeg is. ‘n Totaal van 99 500 model uitvoerings is gedoen, wat saamgevoeg is om 4 950 unieke watervraag scenarios voor te stel, wat verteenwoordigend is van 29 verskillende huishouding groep groottes. Vir elkeen van die 4 950 watervraag senarios, is ‘n stel spitsfaktore afgelei vir agt verkose waardes. Die eindverbruik model aangebied in hierdie studie lewer ‘n realistiese binnenshuise wateraanvraag skatting, wanneer dit vergelyk word met verslae in die literatuur. Ooreenkomstig met bestaande kennis is ‘n sterk inverse verhouding sigbaar tussen die grootte van die spitsfaktore en . Dit is ook gevind dat die spitsfaktore oor al die tydsintervalle ‘n inverse verband toon tot die aantal huishoudings, wat ooreenstemmend is met ander publikasies in die literatuur. Soos die aantal huishoudings toeneem, het die mate waartoe die spitsfaktor geaffekteer is deur die tydsintervalle afgeneem. Hierdie studie toon duidelik die effek van tydsintervalle op spitsfaktore. Die resultaat van hierdie studie kan dien as basis om praktiese ontwerpsriglyne te verkry in die skatting van binnenshuise spitsvloei in ‘n waterverspreidingsnetwerk, gegewe dat die werk in die toekoms uitgebrei kan word om ook buitenshuise waterverbruik in te sluit, asook sensitiwiteit tot druk in die waterverspreidingsnetwerk.

Thesis (PhD (Logistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The design of a water distribution system (WDS) involves finding an acceptable trade-off between cost minimisation and the maximisation of numerous system benefits, such as hydraulic reliability and surplus capacity. The primary design problem involves cost-effective specifica- tion of a pipe network layout and pipe sizes (which are typically available in a discrete set of commercial diameters) in order to satisfy expected consumer water demands within required pressure limits. The problem may be extended to consider the design of additional WDS com- ponents, such as reservoirs, tanks, pumps and valves. Practical designs must also cater for the uncertainty of demand, the requirement of surplus capacity for future growth, and the hydraulic reliability of the system under different demand and potential failure conditions. A detailed literature review of exact and approximate approaches towards single-objective (minimum cost) WDS design optimisation is provided. Essential topics which have to be included in any modern WDS design paradigm (such as demand estimation, reliability quantification, tank design and pipe layout) are discussed. A number of formative concepts in multi-objective evo- lutionary optimisation are also reviewed (including a generic problem formulation, performance evaluation measures, comparative testing strategies, and suitable classes of metaheuristics). The two central themes of this dissertation are conducting multi-objective WDS design optimi- sation using metaheuristics, and a critical examination of surrogate measures used to quantify WDS reliability. The aim in the first theme is to compare numerous modern metaheuristics, in- cluding several multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, an estimation of distribution algorithm and a recent hyperheuristic named AMALGAM (an evolutionary framework for the simulta- neous incorporation of multiple metaheuristics applied here for the first time to a real-world problem), in order to determine which approach is most capable with respect to WDS design optimisation. Several novel metaheuristics are developed, as well as a number of new variants of existing algorithms, so that a total of twenty-three algorithms were compared. Testing with respect to eight small-to-large-sized WDS benchmarks from the literature reveals that the four top-performing algorithms are mutually non-dominated with respect to the vari- ous performance metrics. These algorithms are NSGA-II, TAMALGAMJndu, TAMALGAMndu and AMALGAMSndp (the last three being novel variants of AMALGAM). However, when these four algorithms are applied to the design of a very large real-world benchmark, the AMALGAM paradigm outperforms NSGA-II convincingly, with AMALGAMSndp exhibiting the best perfor- mance overall. As part of this study, a novel multi-objective greedy algorithm is developed by combining several heuristic design methods from the literature in order to mimic the design strategy of a human engineer. This algorithm functions as a powerful local search. However, it is shown that such an algorithm cannot compete with modern metaheuristics, which employ advanced strategies in order to uncover better solutions with less computational effort. The second central theme involves the comparison of several popular WDS reliability surro- gate measures (namely the Resilience Index, Network Resilience, Flow Entropy, and a novel mixed surrogate measure) in terms of their ability to produce designs that are robust against pipe failure and water demand variation. This is the first systematic study on a number of WDS benchmarks in which regression analysis is used to compare reliability surrogate measures with probabilistic reliability typically derived via simulation, and failure reliability calculated by considering all single-pipe failure events, with both reliability types quantified by means of average demand satisfaction. Although no single measure consistently outperforms the others, it is shown that using the Resilience Index and Network Resilience yields designs that achieve a better positive correlation with both probabilistic and failure reliability, and while the Mixed Surrogate measure shows some promise, using Flow Entropy on its own as a quantifier of re- liability should be avoided. Network Resilience is identified as being a superior predictor of failure reliability, and also having the desirable property of supplying designs with fewer and less severe size discontinuities between adjacent pipes. For this reason, it is recommended as the surrogate measure of choice for practical application towards design in the WDS industry. AMALGAMSndp is also applied to the design of a real South African WDS design case study in Gauteng Province, achieving savings of millions of Rands as well as significant reliability improvements on a preliminary engineered design by a consulting engineering firm. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwerp van waterverspreidingsnetwerke (WVNe) behels die soeke na ’n aanvaarbare afruiling tussen koste-minimering en die maksimering van ’n aantal netwerkvoordele, soos hidroliese betroubaarheid en surpluskapasiteit. Die primere ontwerpsprobleem behels ’n koste-doeltreffende spesifikasie van ’n netwerkuitleg en pypgroottes (wat tipies in ’n diskrete aantal kommersiele deursnedes beskikbaar is) wat aan gebruikersaanvraag binne sekere drukspesifikasies voldoen. Die probleem kan uitgebrei word om die ontwerp van verdere WVN-komponente, soos op- gaardamme, opgaartenks, pompe en kleppe in ag te neem. Praktiese WVN-ontwerpe moet ook voorsiening maak vir onsekerheid van aanvraag, genoegsame surpluskapsiteit vir toekom- stige netwerkuitbreidings en die hidroliese betroubaarheid van die netwerk onder verskillende aanvraag- en potensiele falingsvoorwaardes. ’n Omvattende literatuurstudie word oor eksakte en benaderde oplossingsbenaderings tot enkel- doelwit (minimum koste) WVN-ontwerpsoptimering gedoen. Sentrale temas wat by heden- daagse WVN-ontwerpsparadigmas ingesluit behoort te word (soos aanvraagvooruitskatting, die kwantifisering van betroubaarheid, tenkontwerp en netwerkuitleg), word uitgelig. ’n Aantal basiese konsepte in meerdoelige evolusionˆere optimering (soos ’n generiese probleemformulering, werkverrigtingsmaatstawwe, vergelykende toetsingstrategie¨e, en sinvolle klasse metaheuristieke vir WVN-ontwerp) word ook aangeraak. Die twee sentrale temas in hierdie proefskrif is meerdoelige WVN-ontwerpsoptimering deur mid- del van metaheuristieke, en ’n kritiese evaluering van verskeie surrogaatmaatstawwe vir die kwantifisering van netwerkbetroubaarheid. Die doel in die eerste tema is om ’n aantal moderne metaheuristieke, insluitend verskeie meerdoelige evolusionere algoritmes en die onlangse hiper- heuristiek AMALGAM (’n evolusionere raamwerk vir die gelyktydige insluiting van ’n aantal metaheuristieke wat hier vir die eerste keer op ’n praktiese probleem toegepas word), met mekaar te vergelyk om sodoende ’n ideale benadering tot WVN-ontwerpoptimering te identi- fiseer. Verskeie nuwe metaheuristieke sowel as ’n aantal nuwe variasies op bestaande algoritmes word ontwikkel, sodat drie en twintig algoritmes in totaal met mekaar vergelyk word. Toetse aan die hand van agt klein- tot mediumgrootteWVN-toetsprobleme uit die literatuur dui daarop dat die vier top algoritmes mekaar onderling ten opsigte van verskeie werkverrigtings- maatstawwe domineer. Hierdie algoritmes is NSGA-II, TAMALGAMJndu, TAMALGAMndu en AMALGAMSndp, waarvan laasgenoemde drie nuwe variasies op AMALGAM is. Wanneer hierdie vier algoritmes egter vir die ontwerp van ’n groot WVN-toetsprobleem ingespan word, oortref die AMALGAM-paradigma die NSGA-II oortui-gend, en lewer AMALGAMSndp die beste resultate. As deel van hierdie studie is ’n nuwe meerdoelige gulsige algoritme ontwerp wat verskeie heuristiese ontwerpsmetodologiee uit die literatuur kombineer om sodoende die on- twerpstrategie van ’n ingenieur na te boots. Hierdie algoritme funksioneer as ’n kragtige lokale soekprosedure, maar daar word aangetoon dat die algoritme nie met moderne metaheuristieke, wat gevorderde soekstrategie¨e inspan om beter oplossings met minder berekeningsmoeite daar te stel, kan meeding nie. Die tweede sentrale tema behels die vergelyking van ’n aantal gewilde surrogaatmaatstawwe vir die kwantifisering van WVN-betroubaarheid (naamlik die elastisiteitsindeks, netwerkelastisiteit, vloei-entropie en ’n gemengde surrogaatmaatstaf ) in terme van die mate waartoe hul gebruik kan word om WVNe te identifiseer wat robuust is ten opsigte van pypfaling en variasie in aanvraag. Hierdie proefskrif bevat die eerste sistematiese vergelyking deur middel van regressie-analise van ’n aantal surrogaatmaatstawwe vir die kwantifisering van WVN-betroubaarheid en stogastiese betroubaarheid (wat tipies via simulasie bepaal word) in terme van ’n aantal toetsprobleme in die literatuur. Alhoewel geen enkele maatstaf as die beste na vore tree nie, word daar getoon dat gebruik van die elastisiteitsindeks en netwerkelastisiteit lei na WNV-ontwerpe met ’n groter positiewe korrelasie ten opsigte van beide stogastiese betroubaarheid en falingsbetroubaarheid. Verder toon die gebruik van die gemengde surrogaatmaatstaf potensiaal, maar die gebruik van vloei-entropie op sy eie as kwantifiseerder van betroubaarheid behoort vermy te word. Netwerkelastisiteit word as ’n hoe-gehalte indikator van falingsbetroubaarheid geidentifiseer en het ook die eienskap dat dit daartoe instaat is om ontwerpe met ’n kleiner aantal diskontinuiteite sowel as van ’n minder ekstreme graad van diskontinuiteite tussen deursnedes van aangrensende pype daar te stel. Om hierdie rede word netwerkelastisiteit as die surogaatmaatstaf van voorkeur aanbeveel vir toepassings van WVN-ontwerpe in die praktyk. AMALGAM word ook ten opsigte van ’n werklike Suid-Afrikaanse WVN-ontwerp gevallestudie in Gauteng toegepas. Hierdie toepassing lei na die besparing van miljoene rande asook noe- menswaardige verbeterings in terme van netwerkbetroubaarheid in vergeleke met ’n aanvanklike ingenieursontwerp deur ’n konsultasiefirma.

O dimensionamento otimizado de sistemas de distribuição de águas tem originado centenas de trabalhos científicos nas últimas quatro décadas. Vários pesquisadores têm buscado encontrar uma metodologia capaz de dimensionar essas redes considerando diversos aspectos e incertezas características desse tipo de projeto. No entanto, os resultados da maioria das metodologias desenvolvidas não podem ser aplicados na prática. O objetivo deste trabalho é elaborar uma metodologia de dimensionamento de redes de distribuição de água considerando um enfoque multiobjetivo. A metodologia desenvolvida considera três aspectos referentes ao projeto desses sistemas: custo; confiabilidade e perdas por vazamentos. Para tanto, empregou-se um método de otimização multiobjetivo baseado em algoritmos genéticos para a geração do conjunto de soluções não-dominadas e um método multicriterial para escolha da alternativa final. Para representar os objetivos do problema, foram testadas nove funções: custo, vazamentos, entropia, resiliência, tolerância à falha, expansibilidade, efeito do envelhecimento e resilientropia, sendo que sete destas são específicas para a representação da confiabilidade. Para se avaliar as alternativas geradas foi desenvolvido um modelo de análise hidráulica que fosse capaz de trabalhar com vazamentos e com demandas dependente da pressão. Os métodos escolhidos foram o Híbrido de Nielsen e o Gradiente. Das funções testadas, a resilientropia, proposta originalmente neste trabalho, foi a que melhor se ajustou ao conceito formal de confiabilidade, representado pela função tolerância. Os resultados encontrados pela metodologia mostraram-se promissores, uma vez esta foi capaz de encontrar redes eficientes ao final das simulações. / The topic \"Optimized design of water distribution systems\" has generated hundreds of scientific publications in the last four decades. Several researchers have searched for a technology which would take into account a variety of aspects and uncertainties innate to the design of such networks. However, the results of most methodologies developed are not practical. The objective of this work is to develop a methodology for water distribution systems design that has a multi-objective focus. The methodology developed focuses in three aspects of the design of such systems: cost, reliability and losses by leaking. A multiobjective optimization method based on generic algorithms, generating a set of non-defined solutions, and a multi-criteria method for choosing the final alternative, was employed. Nine functions representing the objectives of the problem (method) were tested: cost, leakages, entropy, resilience, failure tolerance, expansibility, aging effect and resilienthropy, seven of which are specific to representing reliability. In order to evaluate the generated alternatives, a hydraulic analysis model, that could handle leakages and pressure dependent demands, was developed. The chosen methods were Nielsen\'s Hybrid, and the Gradient. Of all tested functions, resilientropy, originally proposed in this work, proved to be the one best adjusted to the formal concept of reliability, represented by the tolerance function. The results obtained by this methodology are promising, as they produced efficient distribution networks at the end of the simulations performed.

Reconhecendo-se a importância da água como recurso natural limitado e considerando-se a perspectiva de crescimento do contingente populacional urbano, faz-se necessária uma investigação dos sistemas de distribuição de água para abastecimento, por tratarem-se de infra-estruturas básicas comuns aos núcleos populacionais do mundo todo. O planejamento da reabilitação das redes de distribuição de água torna-se de fundamental importância considerando os recursos financeiros limitados e o comportamento operacional desses sistemas que são alterados ao longo do tempo devido ao processo de deterioração de seus componentes. O presente trabalho representa um esforço no sentido de considerar objetivos mais promissores na análise de reabilitação de redes. Dessa maneira, foram considerados: custo, benefício, vazamentos e confiabilidade. Este trabalho apresenta contribuições às análises multiobjetivo via algoritmos genéticos, propriciando um aprimoramento do algoritmo Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) e realizando investigação dos operadores (recombinação e mutação) e dos métodos Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA), Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm (SPEA) e Elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA II). Do ponto de vista hidráulico, este trabalho introduz tanto perdas por vazamentos como demanda variável com a pressão, proporcionando uma análise mais realística do problema. Os estudos desenvolvidos para redes hipotéticas e para um sistema real, possibilitaram que soluções satisfatórias fossem obtidas, chegando-se inclusive a uma proposição do conceito de programação dinâmica para o caso multiobjetivo. / Recognizing the importance of water as a limited natural resource and considering the prospect of continued population growth, it is important to investigate water distribution systems which are common to all urban infrastructures. Planning of the water distribution network rehabilitation becomes additionally important given economic constraints and operational behavior these systems which modifies in time due to deterioration of water networks. The present work is an effort to consider the multiple objectives in the water network rehabilitation analyses. Four objectives were considered: cost minimization, benefit maximization, leakage minimization and reliability maximization. In addition, it presents some contributions to multiobjective optimization methodology by genetic algorithms, offering an improvement of Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA). A detailed investigation is conducted on genetic operators (recombination and mutation) comparing some existing multiobjective optimization methods (Multiobjective Genetic Algorithm - MOGA, Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm - NSGA, Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm - SPEA and Elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm - NSGA II). As regards the hydraulic analysis, this work introduces both leakages and pressure dependent demands in the simulations, providing a more realistic representation of actual field situations. The present study employs hypothetical networks and a real network obtaining satisfactory solutions. Further, dynamic programming concept is also incorporated into the multiobjective optimization framework.

Em sistemas de irrigação por pivô central, a eficiência de aplicação em campo esta diretamente relacionada com a uniformidade de distribuição, afetando a economia de energia, num manejo adequado da irrigação. Foram utilizados dados de lâmina aplicada, lâmina média, vazão e comprimento de um pivô central, da região de Guaíra SP, através de uma avaliação de desempenho. Foram simuladas lâminas de água aplicadas para valores de 70%, 73%, 75%, 78%, 80%, 83%, 85%, 88%, 90%, 93% 95% e 98% do coeficiente de uniformidade de Christiansen (CUC), mantendo-se constante o valor da lâmina média e conseqüentemente a vazão. As receitas líquidas obtidas com essas distribuições de água foram comparadas utilizando-se cinco preços do feijão: R$1,75, R$2,00, R$2,25, R$2,50, R$2,75, R$3,00 e R$3,25 kg-1e, de igual forma, para cinco custos por consumo da água: R$ 0,01, R$ 0,02, R$ 0,03, R$ 0,04, e R$ 0,05m-3. Os resultados foram analisados considerando-se irrigação total e suplementar de 50% e 75%, nos períodos seco e úmido. A partir dos dados obtidos nas simulações verificouse que os maiores coeficientes de uniformidade proporcionam maior receita líquida e maior economia de energia para os maiores preços do produto. As irrigações suplementares possibilitaram maiores lucros e maiores economia de energia, especialmente para irrigações realizadas no período úmido / In irrigation systems by center pivot, the efficiency of applying in field is directly related to distribution uniformity, influencing in energy saving inside an appropriate irrigation management program. Were used data from applied layer, average layer, flow, and central pivot length, from Guairá SP, determined by IDE (1989) by a performance assessment. By simulation of collected layers values of 70%, 73%, 75%, 78%, 80%, 83%, 85%, 88%, 90%, 93% 95% and 98% were obtained from the Christiansen (CUC) Uniformity Coefficiency, keeping constant the average layer value and consequently the same flow. The obtained net income from those water distributions were compared using five beans prices in Brazilian currency R$1,75, R$2,00, R$2,25, R$2,50, R$2,75, R$3,00 and R$3,25 kg-1 and the same way, for five water consume costs: R$ 0,01, R$ 0,02, R$ 0,03, R$ 0,04, and R$ 0,05m-3. The outcomes were analyzed considering the supplementary and total irrigation of 50% an 75% in humid and dry seasons. From obtained data by simulations were verified that the higher uniformity coefficiencies give higher liquid recipe and greater energy saving related to higher products prices. Supplementary irrigation gives the possibility of higher profit and greater energy saving, especially when made in the humid season

O crescente adensamento populacional em grandes centros urbanos vem propiciando crescentes demandas hídricas. Esse fato aliado às limitações das fontes para abastecimento, tanto do ponto de vista quantitativo como qualitativo, impõe que políticas de gerenciamento da água sofram transformações no futuro próximo. Nesse sentido, devem merecer atenção especial as técnicas de reuso, bem como o uso racional e otimizado da água em meio urbano. O presente trabalho enfoca um dos principais aspectos do gerenciamento da qualidade da água para abastecimento, que é a manutenção do residual de cloro no interior da rede conforme a Portaria 518/2004. Trata-se de um problema complexo, uma vez que o cloro decai, ao longo do tempo, e se mistura nos nós da rede, sofrendo mudanças de concentração. Visando à modelagem e simulação do comportamento do cloro residual como uma ferramenta eficiente de gerenciamento dos sistemas de distribuição de água, muitos estudos têm sido realizados e reportados pela literatura assumindo-se que os efeitos do decaimento são representados pelos coeficientes Kbulk e Kwall. O presente trabalho realiza a calibração hidráulica e de qualidade para um setor de distribuição de água real do município de São Carlos - SP - Brasil, considerando o vazamento. Para tanto, calibradores hidráulicos já testados por outros autores foram usados, e um calibrador de qualidade para resolução do problema inverso, que utilizam em conjunto o simulador EPANET 2.0 e os algoritmos genéticos (AGs) como ferramenta de otimização, foram desenvolvidos. Foi evidenciada a importância de se considerar o vazamento na calibração hidráulica e conseqüentemente na calibração de qualidade. Foi desenvolvida também uma metodologia para a calibração dos parâmetros dos AGs através do uso do \"Particle Swarm Optimization\" (PSO). Foram testados ainda diversos modelos de vazamento para determinação de qual modelo seria capaz de representar de maneira mais fidedigna o comportamento hidráulico da rede e os resultados obtidos apontaram os modelos que admitem vazamento por comprimento linear da tubulação como sendo mais adequados. / The rising population density of large urban centers is gradually increasing water supply demands. This together with the paucity of water sources requires that the future water administration policies go through a transformation from both quantitative and qualitative points of view. Thus rational use of available water and water reuse deserve special attention in the urban environment. This study focuses on one these main aspects of water quality management, namely, the maintenance of residual chlorine in the hydraulic network according the respective Directive nº 518/2004. This is a complex problem in view of the fact chlorine decays in time and undergoes mixing at the network nodes, consequently producing changes in its concentration. Numerous studies on modeling and simulation of behavior of residual chlorine, as an efficient water distribution system management tool, have been made and reported in literature. These studies assume that chlorine decay in the network can be represented through Kbulk and Kwall coefficients. This research work conducts hydraulic and water quality calibration of a prototype water distribution sector in the city of São Carlos - SP - Brazil, while taking into account leakages in the network. Hydraulic calibration programs previously tested by others and a water quality calibration program were employed for the solution of the inverse problem for determination of unknown parameters. This problem was solved using hydraulic simulator EPANET 2.0 in conjunction with the genetic algorithms (AGs). These procedures showed the importance of considering network leakages in hydraulic calibration and consequently in the calibration of water quality. A method for the calibration of AG parameters was also developed through the use of \"Particle Swarm Optimization\" (PSO). Various representations for leakage were tested in order to identify the model that best described the hydraulic performance of the network. Thus it was possible to show that the models, which consider leakage per unit length, were the most adequate.

No Brasil, são comuns sistemas de distribuição de água para abastecimento com elevados índices de perdas, nos quais parcela significativa das denominadas perdas físicas é devida às perdas por vazamento. Dessa maneira, o controle efetivo das perdas por vazamento e do comportamento do sistema sob as mais diversas condições operacionais é de fundamental importância, não só do ponto de vista financeiro, no que diz respeito ao desperdício da água bombeada e quimicamente tratada, mas principalmente da preservação deste recurso natural. Com o objetivo de se ter um maior conhecimento do comportamento real de uma rede de distribuição de água, técnicas de calibração, incluindo modelos para avaliação de perdas por vazamentos, vêm sendo propostas. Tais modelos devem considerar a relação pressão x vazamento, bem como a dependência pressão x demanda, face aos diferentes níveis de pressão atuantes em um sistema de distribuição de água. O presente estudo visa o desenvolvimento de uma rotina computacional que considere as perdas por vazamento e a dependência das demandas com a pressão, acoplada ao simulador hidráulico EPANET (ROSSMAN, 2000), utilizando dados de rede hipotética com vistas à calibração em termos das rugosidades absolutas, demandas, diâmetros, cotas topográficas e parâmetros do modelo de vazamentos, bem como a localização de componentes hidráulicos na rede. Para tanto, utilizam-se modelos inversos resolvidos com o suporte da tecnologia dos Algoritmos Genéticos (AGs) e procedimento híbrido (AGs e Método Simplex – NELDER & MEAD, 1965) / Brazil’s water distribution systems usually present a high percentage of so-called physical losses, of which a significant portion is caused by leakage. Therefore, it is of fundamental importance, not only from the financial standpoint – in terms of the pumped and chemically treated water – but also particularly from that of the preservation of this natural resource, to effectively control leakage and the systems’ behavior under several operational conditions. In order to gain a better understanding of the real behavior of a water distribution network, several calibration techniques, including models to evaluate leakage, have been proposed. Those models normally consider the correlation between pressure and leakage, as well as the interdependence of pressure and demand in response to the varying levels of pressure in a water distribution system. The present study seeks to extend these models through the development of a computational routine based on leakage and on pressure-dependent demand, in conjunction with the hydraulic simulator EPANET (ROSSMAN, 2000), using the data from a hypothetical network to calibrate the absolute roughness and diameter of pipes, demands and elevations of nodes and the parameters of the leakage model, as well as the location of hydraulic components in the network. To this end, inverse models are used based on the technology of Genetic Algorithms (GA) and the hybrid procedure (GA and Simplex Method - NELDER & MEAD, 1965)

O polietileno de média densidade (PEMD) é um polímero termoplástico parcialmente cristalino, cujo uso tem crescido bastante em aplicações de engenharia, como em tubos plásticos para sistemas de distribuição de água e de gás. Sob carga constante, entretanto, este material pode eventualmente apresentar fratura por fluência, por meio de um mecanismo de crescimento lento de trincas, provocando acentuadas perdas por vazamento nos sistemas. Os métodos atuais empregados pela indústria para estimar a durabilidade dos tubos são caros, demorados, pouco práticos e imprecisos. Busca-se o desenvolvimento de técnicas mais eficientes, sendo que os métodos da mecânica da fratura são promissores no sentido de descrever a etapa de propagação da trinca. Ensaios de mecânica da fratura, entretanto, requerem a introdução de pré-trincas nos corpos de prova. Sabe-se que as técnicas artificiais de introdução de pré-trincas causam algum tipo de dano na matriz polimérica, que pode ou não afetar os resultados dos ensaios, dependendo dos eventos que ocorrerem após o carregamento inicial. A principal propriedade requerida de um método de introdução de pré-trinca, portanto, é reprodutibilidade. Neste estudo foram aplicados três importantes métodos de mecânica da fratura ao PEMD e investigados os efeitos de diferentes técnicas de introdução de pré-trincas sobre os resultados dos ensaios e sobre as estruturas de deformação na matriz do material na ponta da trinca. Os ensaios de tenacidade à fratura no estado plano de deformação - KIc - foram realizados em condições criogênicas, em vista do comportamento dúctil do material à temperatura ambiente, sendo que a estratégia mostrou-se satisfatória. Os resultados dos ensaios de Integral-J sugerem que o método pode não ser aplicável ao PEMD, devido ao peculiar mecanismo de fratura do material. O método do trabalho essencial de fratura - EWF - se aplica bem ao PEMD. Os resultados dos ensaios de KIc e EWF demonstraram que diferentes técnicas de introdução de pré-trincas provocam diferentes estruturas de deformação no material na ponta da trinca e afetam os resultados de ensaios de fratura no PEMD. Os resultados de EWF demonstraram ainda que o processamento também afeta as propriedades de fratura do material. É proposta uma nova técnica para a introdução de pré-trincas, com características mais naturais, a qual requer estudos complementares para seu aperfeiçoamento. / Medium density polyethylene (MDPE) is a semicrystalline thermoplastic polymer that has been increasingly used in engineering applications, as plastic pipes for water and gas distribution systems. Under constant load, however, this material may occasionally present creep failure, by means of a mechanism of slow crack growth, leading to leakage losses in the systems. Current methods used by industry to estimate durability of pipes are expensive, time consuming, non practical and inaccurate. The development of more efficient methods is a common target and fracture mechanics methods are promising in describing the crack propagation stage. Fracture mechanics testing methods, however, require the introduction of pre-cracks into the specimens. It is known that artificial methods of introducing pre-cracks produce some damage on the polymeric matrix, which may or not affect the results of tests, depending on the events that occur after the initial loading. Main propriety required of a pre-crack introducing method, therefore, is reproducibility. In this study three important fracture mechanics methods were applied to MDPE and the effects of different methods of pre-cracking over test results and over deformation structures of material matrix at the crack tip were investigated. Plane-strain fracture toughness - KIc tests were performed under cryogenic conditions, in view of the ductile behavior of material at room temperature and this strategy was well succeed. Results of Integral-J tests suggest that this method may not be applicable to MDPE, due to the peculiar fracture mechanism of the material. The essential work of fracture method EWF is well suited to study MDPE. The results of KIc and EWF tests showed that different pre-cracking methods cause different deformation structures in the material at the crack tip and affect the fracture tests with MDPE. EWF results showed also that the processing affect the fracture properties of materials too. It is proposed a new method for introducing pre-cracks, with more natural characteristics that requires complementary studies for its improving.

Esta dissertação trata das tecnologias mais recentes na distribuição de água na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, analisando-as como parte de novas diferenças qualitativas no espaço urbano e metropolitano. Ao estudar historicamente o contexto econômico, político-institucional e técnico do setor, dos planos de abastecimento e da Companhia de Saneamento Básico de São Paulo - Sabesp, busca compreender as relações estabelecidas entre as metas de universalização de saneamento e as novas tecnologias e estratégias operacionais, a internacionalização econômica e financeira da Sabesp, e a delimitação de uma esfera pública dos serviços urbanos na metrópole de São Paulo. Em última instância, busca compreender impedimentos criados à potência política do espaço. / This dissertation deals with the most recent technologies for water production and distribution at the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo as part of new qualitative differences in urban and metropolitan space. It aims to understand - by the study of the economical, political-institutional and technical backgrounds of the São Paulo Water Utility (Sabesp) - the links between new technologies and operational strategies, the financial and economical internationalization of the company, universalization goals in water utilities and the delimitation of a public sphere in utilities in São Paulo metropolis. In a word, it aims to understand barriers to virtual capacities of space as political power.