A Method for Modeling Water Distribution Systems Combining Physical and Topological Properties

Water distribution systems (WDS) are critical infrastructures that require careful management and maintenance for public safety. Distribution systems are subjected to various threats, including changes in demand patterns, aging infrastructure, extreme temperature and precipitation fluctuations, and quality interruptions. Additionally, natural and man-made disasters can cause stress to aging systems. System breakdowns carry significant economic consequences; therefore, quantifying the risk of water infrastructure interruption and evaluating the resilience of WDS is paramount. A key tenant in asset management is prioritizing component replacement based on risk with a limited budget. There are two general approaches to analyzing system criticality and risk, hydraulic models or topological network descriptions. While the former approach is presumably more accurate, it is also more expensive, computationally intensive, and time-consuming. Topological assessments are cheaper and faster, focusing on mathematical and statistical measures while disregarding important information regarding flows and demands. In this work, we use a simulated water distribution based on typical profiles, as a case study to demonstrate and validate the use of topological networks within hydraulic modeling. We also discuss the opportunities of importance-weighted hydraulic models in assessing importance. The integrated physical/topological model is then employed to provide a prioritized list of infrastructure investments that could guide resilience planning, crisis mitigation, and policy compliance.