Publication
Identification of critical areas in the water supply network using multicriteria decision analysis
| Summary: | It is critical to ensure the efficient management of water supply networks to reduce water losses caused by cracks and ruptures in the underground infrastructure. These issues have an impact on environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and operational costs. This issue is especially important in aging infrastructure, where unbilled water losses frequently exceed acceptable limits. The study's main goal is to identify critical areas within Albufeira's water supply network, which experiences 23% annual unbilled water losses. The study uses a multi-criteria analysis methodology based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process and Geographic Information Systems. The study looked at environmental, physical, and operational factors to create predictive maps. The data were transformed into a hierarchical model, with weights assigned based on expert contributions reported in scientific articles. The model was validated using techniques such as acoustic geophones and thermal drones. The findings show that the proposed methodology significantly improves the efficient management of water resources by reducing losses and costs while promoting sustainability. High-risk areas were identified, allowing for prioritization of maintenance interventions. Applying the Analytical Hierarchy Process model reduced failures from 35% to 40%, detecting leaks efficiently. It is concluded that integrating and Geographic Information Systems, Multicriterial Decision Analysis, and Analytical Hierarchy Process improves water supply network management by reducing water losses, operational costs, and environmental impacts. |
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| Main Authors: | Ribeiro, Andreia Leonor Cópio |
| Subject: | Analytic Hierarchy Process Geographic Information Systems Pipe failure prediction Water distribution network Water supply SDG 6 - Clean water and sanitation SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities SDG 12 - Responsible production and consumption SDG 13 - Climate action SDG 14 - Life below water |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Document type: | master thesis |
| Access type: | embargoed access |
| Associated institution: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Language: | English |
| Origin: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| Summary: | It is critical to ensure the efficient management of water supply networks to reduce water losses caused by cracks and ruptures in the underground infrastructure. These issues have an impact on environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and operational costs. This issue is especially important in aging infrastructure, where unbilled water losses frequently exceed acceptable limits. The study's main goal is to identify critical areas within Albufeira's water supply network, which experiences 23% annual unbilled water losses. The study uses a multi-criteria analysis methodology based on the Analytical Hierarchy Process and Geographic Information Systems. The study looked at environmental, physical, and operational factors to create predictive maps. The data were transformed into a hierarchical model, with weights assigned based on expert contributions reported in scientific articles. The model was validated using techniques such as acoustic geophones and thermal drones. The findings show that the proposed methodology significantly improves the efficient management of water resources by reducing losses and costs while promoting sustainability. High-risk areas were identified, allowing for prioritization of maintenance interventions. Applying the Analytical Hierarchy Process model reduced failures from 35% to 40%, detecting leaks efficiently. It is concluded that integrating and Geographic Information Systems, Multicriterial Decision Analysis, and Analytical Hierarchy Process improves water supply network management by reducing water losses, operational costs, and environmental impacts. |
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