CONCEPT OF SIGNIFICANCE INDEX FOR MAINTENANCE AND DESIGN OF PIPE NETWORKS. TECHNICAL NOTE

Often, new pipe networks must be designed at a low cost or rehabilitated. This technical note describes a simple optimality criterion called the significance index. This index can be employed for the rehabilitation of existing networks or it can be modified slightly for use in the optimal design of new networks. The practicality of this index for the rehabilitation and optimization of networks is demonstrated by its application to an existing network and to an example network, respectively. The effectiveness and limitations of the index are outlined.