ACTUI Network

Advanced Computer Technology for Underground Infrastructure

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Water Infrastructure Research at the University of Liverpool

ACTUI-related research at the University of Liverpool is carried out in the Department of Civil Engineering. The group includes four academics (Professors Richard Burrows and Andrew Templeman, Drs Kamil Ali and Tiku Tanyimboh), one postdoctoral researcher (Dr B Tahar) and four PhD students (James Ackley, Paul Kalungi, Trevor McIlhatton and Seevali Surrendran).

The group’s research interests are listed below and also on their website http://www.liv.ac.uk/civil/s-research/environ.htm;

Sewer Systems

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mathematical modelling

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control of interceptor sewers

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optimal/real-time flow/pollution control

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sewer hydrograph synthesis

 Water Distribution Systems (WDS)

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information management systems

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mathematical modelling

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reliability and performance assessment

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optimal design/upgrading and operation

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calibration

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demand characterisation and statistical modelling

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rationalisation of errors/uncertainties

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pressure transients 

Current research may be summarised under three themes:

  1. Pressure-Driven Modelling and Performance Assessment of WDS

The quantity of water supplied by a WDS is governed by pressure. Therefore, under low-pressure conditions, pressure-driven WDS modelling is concerned with the simultaneous determination of nodal pressures and outflows which are consistent with the boundary conditions imposed by the system pressures while minimising the shortfall in the amount of water supplied. This area has EPSRC support (Grant GR/N02672).

  1. Optimal Control of Large Interceptor Sewer Systems

Using linear programming, an innovative slug flow approach has been developed to minimise the pollution of receiving waters by combined sewer overflows. Simulations of the Liverpool system suggest that the control policies can be determined rapidly enough for real-time control purposes.

  1. Maximum Entropy-Based Bias-Free Inference Under Uncertainty

This provides a least-biased estimator for systems with limited or inaccurate data. Applications include:

WDS model calibration and reliability-based optimal design Rationalisation of errors in WDS data (per capita consumption, metering errors, pipe characteristics, etc). This aims to distribute errors rationally to obtain more robust computer models.

 

 

For problems or questions regarding this web contact [S.E.Adam@ex.ac.uk].
Last updated: May 06, 2003.

© Copyright 2003.