A history of water distribution systems and their optimisation
- Authors: Mala-Jetmarova, Helena , Barton, Andrew , Bagirov, Adil
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Water Science and Technology-Water Supply Vol. 15, no. 2 (2015), p. 224-235
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP0990908
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Water distribution systems have a very long and rich history dating back to the third millennium B.C. Advances in water supply and distribution were followed in parallel by discoveries and inventions in other related fields. Therefore, it is the aim of this paper to review both the history of water distribution systems and those related fields in order to present a coherent summary of the complex multi-stranded discipline of water engineering. Related fields reviewed in this paper include devices for raising water and water pumps, water quality and water treatment, hydraulics, network analysis, and optimisation of water distribution systems. The review is brief and concise and allows the reader to quickly gain an understanding of the history and advancements of water distribution systems and analysis. Furthermore, the paper gives details of other existing publications where more information can be found.
Sensitivity of algorithm parameters and objective function scaling in multi-objective optimisation of water distribution systems
- Authors: Mala-Jetmarova, Helena , Barton, Andrew , Bagirov, Adil
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Hydroinformatics Vol. 17, no. 6 (2015), p. 891-916
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP0990908
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper presents an extensive analysis of the sensitivity of multi-objective algorithm parameters and objective function scaling tested on a large number of parameter setting combinations for a water distribution system optimisation problem. The optimisation model comprises two operational objectives minimised concurrently, the pump energy costs and deviations of constituent concentrations as a water quality measure. This optimisation model is applied to a regional nondrinking water distribution system, and solved using the optimisation software GANetXL incorporating the NSGA-II linked with the network analysis software EPANet. The sensitivity analysis employs a set of performance metrics, which were designed to capture the overall quality of the computed Pareto fronts. The performance and sensitivity of NSGA-II parameters using those metrics is evaluated. The results demonstrate that NSGA-II is sensitive to different parameter settings, and unlike in the single-objective problems, a range of parameter setting combinations appears to be required to reach a Pareto front of optimal solutions. Additionally, inadequately scaled objective functions cause the NSGA-II bias towards the second objective. Lastly, the methodology for performance and sensitivity analysis may be used for calibration of algorithm parameters.
Making the invisible visible : The impact of federating groundwater data in Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Dahlhaus, Peter , Murphy, Angela , MacLeod, Andrew , Thompson, Helen , McKenna, Kirsten , Ollerenshaw, Alison
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Hydroinformatics Vol. 18, no. 2 (2016), p. 238-255
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- Reviewed:
- Description: The Visualising Victoria's Groundwater (VVG) web portal federates groundwater data for the State of Victoria, Australia, thus making legacy data, government datasets, research data and community sourced data and observations visible to the public. The portal is innovative because it was developed outside of the government and offers real-time accessto remote authoritative databases by integrating the interoperable web services they each provide. It includes tools for data querying and 3D visualisations that were designed to meet end-user needs and educate the broader community about a normally invisible resource. The social impact of the web portal was measured using multidisciplinary research that employed survey instruments, expert reference groups, and internet analytics to explore the extent to which the web portal has supported decision making by governments, industry, researchers and the community. The research found that single access, multiple data set web portals enhance capacity by providing timely, informed and accurate responses to answer queries and increase productivity by saving time. The provision of multiple datasets from disparate sources within a single portal has changed practices in the Victorian groundwater industry. © 2016 The Authors.
Statistical downscaling of general circulation model outputs to precipitation, evaporation and temperature using a key station approach
- Authors: Sachindra, Dhanapala , Huang, Fuchun , Barton, Andrew , Perera, Bimalka
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Water and Climate Change Vol. 7, no. 4 (2016), p. 683-707
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Using a key station approach, statistical downscaling of monthly general circulation model outputs to monthly precipitation, evaporation, minimum temperature and maximum temperature at 17 observation stations located in Victoria, Australia was performed. Using the observations of each predictand, over the period 1950-2010, correlations among all stations were computed. For each predictand, the station which showed the highest number of correlations above 0.80 with other stations was selected as the first key station. The stations that were highly correlated with that key station were considered as the member stations of the first cluster. By employing this same procedure on the remaining stations, the next key station was found. This procedure was performed until all stations were segregated into clusters. Thereafter, using the observations of each predictand, regression equations (inter-station regression relationships) were developed between the key stations and the member stations for each calendar month. The downscaling models at the key stations were developed using reanalysis data as inputs to them. The outputs of HadCM3 pertaining to A2 emission scenario were introduced to these downscaling models to produce projections of the predictands over the period 2000-2099. Then the outputs of these downscaling models were introduced to the inter-station regression relationships to produce projections of predictands at all member stations.
An unexpected decrease in urban water demand : Making discoveries possible by taking a long-term view
- Authors: Ebbs, David , Dahlhaus, Peter , Barton, Andrew , Kandra, Harpreet
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Water Policy Vol. 20, no. 3 (2018), p. 617-630
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Forecasting supply and demand is fundamental to the sustainability of the water system. Demand for urban water seems on an ever-upward trajectory, with use increasing twice as quickly as population throughout the 20th century. However, data from Ballarat, a city in south-eastern Australia, show that despite this conventionally held wisdom, total water usage actually peaked over 30 years ago. While the 1997–2009 ‘Millennium Drought’ had some effect, the decline commenced many years before. Initially, this was due to a reduction in external domestic water use, which correlates well with an increase in water price. However, the effect was found to not be purely economic as the price was not volumetric-based. Internal water use seems more affected by technological advances and regulatory controls. Interestingly, there was no relationship found between rainfall and water demand. The role of price, water-reduction education programmes, water-efficient technology and regulation supports previous research that a multifaceted approach is required when developing demand-reduction policies and strategies. This finding emphasises the importance of understanding the component of consumptive behaviour being targeted, and ensuring that policies being implemented are appropriate for the desired behavioural change.