Leak Localization in Looped Pipe Networks Based on a Factorized Transient Wave Model: Theoretical Framework

• Published in: Water resources research 2022-04, Vol.58 (4), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Che, Tong‐Chuan, Wang, Xun, Ghidaoui, Mohamed S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Conservation; Conservation laws; factorized model; Hydraulic pressure; Hydraulic properties; leak localization; Localization; Localization method; looped pipe network; matched‐field processing; Modelling; Network reliability; Numerical experiments; Pipes; Propagation; Redundancy; Robustness (mathematics); transient wave; Water distribution; Water distribution systems; Water engineering; Wave propagation
• ISSN: 0043-1397; 1944-7973
• DOI: 10.1029/2021WR031364

Urban water distribution systems are often made of loops to increase redundancy and improve reliability. The inherent feature of multipath wave propagation in looped networks has been the main obstacle to directly derive a factorized wave propagation model with decoupled leak location and size, which is essential for developing a robust and efficient leak localization method. To address this problem, this article proposes an efficient algorithm to estimate the transient hydraulic pressure and discharge at all nodes of a looped network using boundary measurements. Given these hydraulic properties, a factorized wave propagation model is formulated by applying conservation laws to a tree‐shaped control volume of the looped network. Based on this factorized model, a fast and efficient one‐dimensional search of the leak location along all pipes of a looped network is realized by the matched‐field processing technique. Numerical experiments demonstrate that an unknown leak anywhere in a five‐loop network with 13 pipes can be accurately and efficiently localized by the proposed method. Key Points An analytical transient wave propagation model is derived for looped pipe networks, where the leak location and size are factorized An efficient theoretical framework is proposed for leak localization in looped networks based on the matched‐field processing Numerical experiments confirm that one leak anywhere in looped networks can be accurately and efficiently localized by the proposed method