Mobile sensors for hydraulic calibration of pipe network models

This paper is the first to explore the potential use of mobile sensors in the hydraulic calibration of water distribution system and sewer system network models. Novel simulation and optimisation functionality is developed to simulate, utilise and analyse the data that would be collected from mobile hydraulic sensors. Comparable functionality is obtained for static sensors to demonstrate the benefits for a mobile sensor approach. Real world case studies are used to show and compare the accuracy of resulting model calibration, with pipe roughness used to independently assess the calibration quality achieved. Mobile sensors achieved substantially lower pipe roughness error values, around 50% lower in the water supply network and around 25% lower in the sewer network. This level of relative predictive performance was demonstrated for 24 hours of data collection from a single mobile sensor, in comparison to nearly 97% nodal coverage of the water supply network and 66% coverage of combined sewer network by static sensors – all sensors sampled at the same frequency. The evidence generated shows the significant potential of mobile sensors, deployed on robotic platforms, to transform the accuracy of water supply and sewer network model calibration. Such improvements are essential to enable, and as part of, digital twin paradigms and to confidently inform proactive management driven from accurate and comprehensive assessment of system performance.