A Digital-twin-supported planning strategy for pipe replacement in smart water networks

Ageing water distribution networks are increasingly affected by leakages and structural failures, requiring targeted pressure management and pipe replacement interventions. However, rehabilitation works often entail significant environmental, social, and operational impacts related to service interruptions, particularly when isolation valve system has low efficiency. This study introduces an innovative planning methodology based on advanced Digital Water Services to support decision-making for rehabilitation works. The aim is to optimise the sequence of works, minimise service interruptions, and enhance isolation valve system. The proposed approach integrates network topology analysis, advanced hydraulic analysis and GIS-based data management, to identify isolated network sections, identify and quantify disconnected users during interventions. An efficiency indicator is introduced to assess the relationship between the length of replaced pipes and the extent of the network isolated, enabling objective comparison of alternative execution scenarios. The methodology is applied to an urban water distribution network, considering different operational strategies. Results demonstrate that the proposed approach effectively supports decision-making in asset management. The study confirms the value of Digital-Twin-supported planning tools as robust and scalable solutions for sustainable rehabilitation of aged water distribution networks.