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A spatial decision support system for pipe break susceptibility analysis and impact assessment of municipal water distribution systems

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Municipal water distribution maintenance is very important for sustainable urban
development. Water pipe breaks result not only in a disruption in service but
also in significant loss of water, which otherwise could have been sold to the
consumer. In countries where water is scarce, such as South Africa, water
losses can be detrimental to the living standard of people. Water pipe breaks
can furthermore cause extensive damage to nearby lower-lying properties.
Existing decision support systems available in the field of water distribution
system maintenance are mainly focused on leak detection and pipe
rehabilitation/replacement strategy. These existing systems, however, do not
address the actual causes of pipe breaks and pipe break impact is also not
supported.
The aim of this research is to develop a spatial decision support system (SDSS)
for pipe break susceptibility analysis and impact assessment. The engineer (or
public works administrator) can apply the SDSS to model the complex pipe
break phenomena in the municipal water distribution system. The SDSS can
identify pipes susceptible to breaking and pipes with potentially high break
impact as far as water loss and damage caused to nearby property are
concerned. This combined pipe break susceptibility analysis and potential
impact assessment should promote more informed decision-making on
preventative maintenance measures to be taken and their prioritisation.
The dissertation consists offive parts. In the first part (Chapters 1-4) theories on
information systems, fuzzy logic, object-oriented modelling, Unified Modelling
Language (UML) and pipe break causes are presented. This literature review
provides a basis on which the SDSS for pipe break susceptibility analysis and
impact assessment can be developed.
In the second part (Chapter 5) the general user requirements and design of the
SDSS are given. The general SDSS architecture, the general system functionality and the user interface are described and designed in this part of the
dissertation.
The third part (Chapter 6) provides the detailed user requirements and design of
the subsystems of the SDSS. Specialised functionality for pipe break
susceptibility analysis and impact assessment is added to the general design of
the SDSS. Subsystems are designed for analysing the pipe break susceptibility
due to age, air-pocket formation and tree-root attack. Pipe break impact
assessment subsystems are also designed for assessing water loss and
potential damage caused to nearby property. Finally, a combined analysis
subsystem is designed for combined pipe break susceptibility analysis and
impact assessment.
In the fourth part (Chapter 7), the SDSS is applied to the water distribution
system of the Paarl Municipality to identify pipes in the network that have both
high break susceptibility and also high break impact. The pipe break
susceptibility analysis model of the SDSS is also tested and calibrated by
comparing the model results with actual pipe break occurrence data of the study
area.
The final chapter (Chapter 8) contains the summary and recommendations
regarding the functionality of the newly developed SDSS. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die instandhouding van munisipale waterverspreidingstelsels is uiters belangrik
vir volhoubare stedelike ontwikkeling. Waterpypbreuke lei nie alleenlik tot
onderbreking in diensverskaffing nie, maar ook tot beduidende waterverlies en
verlies aan inkomste uit waterverkope. In lande waar water skaars is, soos in
Suid-Afrika, kan waterverliese die lewenstandaard van die bevolking nadelig
beïnvloed. Waterpypbreuke kan ook groot skade aan naby-geleë laag-liggende
eiendomme aanrig.
Besluitnemingstelsels tans beskikbaar op die gebied van instandhouding van
waterverspreidingstelsels is hoofsaaklik gerig op lekkasie-opsporing en
pyprehabilitasie- en pypvervangingstrategieë. Hierdie bestaande stelsels
spreek egter nie die eintlike oorsake van pypbreuke aan nie, daar word ook nie
op die impak van pypbreuke ingegaan nie.
Die doelwit van hierdie navorsing is om 'n ruimtelike besluitnemingstelsel (RBS)
-
vir pypbreuk-risiko-analise en impakberaming te ontwikkel. Die ingenieur (of
stelselbestuurder) kan met behulp van die RBS die komplekse pypbreukverskynsel
in 'n munisipale waterverspreidingstelsel modelleer. Die RBS kan
pype met hoë breek-potensiaal identifiseer asook pype wat, indien dit breek,
groot waterverlies of skade aan naby-geleë eiendomme sal veroorsaak.
Hierdie gekombineerde pypbreuk-risiko-analise en impakberaming behoort
meer oordeelkundige besluitneming te bevorder deur beter prioritisering van
voorkomende instandhoudingsmaatreëls en die uitvoering daarvan.
Die proefskrif bestaan uit vyf dele. In die eerste deel (Hoofstukke 1-4) word die
teorieë oor inligtingstelsels, 'fuzzy logic', objek-georiënteerde modellering,
'unified modelling language (UML)' en die oorsake van pypbreuke behandel.
Hierdie literatuurstudie skep die basis waaruit die RBS vir pypbreukrisikobepaling
en impakberaming ontwikkel sal word. In die tweede deel (Hoofstuk 5) word die algemene gebruikersbehoeftes en die
ontwerp van die RBS uiteengesit. Die algemene RBS struktuur en die
gebruikerskoppelvlak word in hierdie deel van die proefskrif beskryf en ontwerp.
In die derde deel (Hoofstuk 6) word die gedetailleerde gebruikersbehoeftes en
die ontwerp van die substelsels van die RBS uiteengesit. Gespesialiseerde
funksionaliteit vir pypbreuk-risikobepaling en impakberaming is tot die algemene
ontwerp van die RBS bygevoeg. Substelsels is ontwerp vir die ontleding van
pypbreuk-risiko as gevolg van ouderdom, lugblaas-vorming en boomwortelaanval.
Substelsels vir impakberaming is ook ontwerp om waterverlies en
potensiële skade aan eiendomme vas te stel. Ten slotte word 'n gekombineerde
ontledingsubstelsel vir gekombineerde pypbreuk-risikobepaling en
impakberaming opgestel.
In die vierde deel (Hoofstuk 7) word die RBS toegepas op die
waterverspreidingstelsel van die Paarlse munisipaliteit om pype uit te ken wat
beide 'n hoë breuk-risiko en 'n hoë breuk-impak bevat. Die pypbreuk-analise
model van die RBS is ook getoets en gekalibreer deur die resultate van die
model te vergelyk met data van werklike pypbreuke in die studiegebied.
Die laaste hoofstuk (Hoofstuk 8) bevat die samevatting en die aanbevelings
rakende die funksionaliteit van die voorgestelde RBS.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52697
Date03 1900
CreatorsSinske, Stefan (Stefan Andreas)
ContributorsZietsman, H. L., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format288 p. : ill,
RightsStellenbosch University

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