Optimizing Sensor Placement and Quantity for Pipe Burst Detection in a Water Distribution Network

The configuration of a burst detection network is fundamental to safely monitoring a water distribution network (WDN). A pipe burst event can be detected only when the effects of the burst are distinguishable from background noise in the monitoring system. A new method of optimizing pressure sensor placement is proposed to monitor pipes in cases in which burst events are likely to have severe effects. An objective function for monitoring water leakage was defined. A genetic algorithm was used to find the optimal sensor placement in the pipe monitoring network and the most economical quantity of sensors. The method was illustrated with three case studies. In each case, the optimal solution evenly distributed the sensors across the WDN, and the number of sensors was determined based on the marginal gain of an additional sensor. In the optimal configuration, monitored pipes were identified clearly.