Transient Source Localization Methodology and Laboratory Validation

Abstract Transient pressures occur in water distribution systems (WDS) and have the potential to cause structural damage to assets, such as bursts and leakage which can also have impacts on surrounding infrastructure. Transients also have the potential to adversely affect aspects of potable water quality, including inducing low or negative pressure events with the potential to cause contaminant intrusion or through shock loadings which can mobilise otherwise stable material layers from the pipe wall. This paper outlines a transient source location methodology. The basis of the method considers the varying transit times of a transient pressure primary wave front to different locations of a pipeline or network. The method relies on a comparison between determined wave front arrival times at multiple, time synchronised pressure data acquisition locations and estimated wave transit times calculated from system connectivity and known or estimated pipe parameters and characteristics, to estimate transient source locations. Validation of the method is provided by data from a laboratory based physical model which explores transient pressure propagation in a looped and branched pipe network.