Robust decision support tools that aid water utilities to make informed, swift and precise decisions are becoming the need of the hour. Application of sophisticated models to aid the process of condition assessment and risk analysis on water pipelines have been limited owing to the lack of scalability, inability to incorporate external open source datasets and mathematically complicated output results. Interactive visualization of resultant model output is the key element in extracting valuable information to support decision making. This thesis presents a framework for visualization of data related to drinking water pipelines. Critical components of strategic, tactical and operational level decision making are explored in context with data presentation and information depiction. This thesis depicts various aspects of developing GIS web applications and their important functionalities for query and visualization of data. Multiple facets of data storage, standardization and application development are highlighted in this document. Publishing of application geo processing services in web environment is done through Virginia Tech enterprise geodatabase. Risk assessment and Performance models developed by a utility are projected in the application environment through help of widgets. Applications are coded into links on a Drupal website (www.pipeid.org) for model dissemination and utility engagement purposes. / Master of Science / Drinking water supply network primarily consists of pipelines, pumping stations, reservoir basins and treatment plants. Water pipelines are routinely inspected to check their condition and maintain appropriate water quality. Management of these subsurface assets should be given prime importance for maintaining high standards of services at acceptable cost to customers. An integral step in accomplishing this task is to view pipeline network in a geographic map. Different factors affecting pipeline condition are displayed on the map in the form of individual layers. Such real-world problems are analyzed with the help of Geographical Information System (GIS) tools that incorporate spatial features with tabular information. Moreover, interpretation of raw data into meaningful insights and distribution of allocated knowledge to all the concerned parties can be efficiently accomplished using rich internet applications.
This thesis presents a framework to use GIS tools for developing web applications using raw data samples from contacted water utilities. Sample web applications are created and discussed in the form of case studies. Also, the challenges in water utility sector with respect to utilizing GIS tools for supporting daily decision-making processes is highlighted in this document. The recommendation to improve the suggested framework and adding more functionalities to developed applications are presented at the end with references.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/84529 |
| Date | 08 August 2018 |
| Creators | Shekhawat, Pururajsingh |
| Contributors | Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sinha, Sunil Kumar, Stolte, Matthew H., Sforza, Peter M. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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