Diagnostics of Regular Performance of Water Distribution Networks and its Relation to the Network Reliability - Pattern Recognition for Reliability Assessment of Water Distribution Networks - page 203

the volumes and flows, while the networks with more buffer have better correlations of
the hydraulic parameters involving friction losses. In most of the cases, the results have
also shown the trend of improved correlations after gradually increasing the level of
demand, but no firm conclusions could have been drawn. At the moment the networks are
put under significant stress, these correlations are still rather weak despite positive trends.
5. Generally good correlations of pipe volumes and flows emerging from the most of
optimised networks appear to be more of a consequence of particular network
configuration and the level of demand. It is indeed that these correlations are better in
configurations that are more logical in practice but it would be far too premature to
present this as a pattern. More analysis is necessary regarding the boundary conditions of
such configurations. The same can be concluded for the correlation of the pipe volumes
and flows, or any other pipe property, as an indicator of network reliability.
The consistency of some of the results makes further research in this direction sensible.
Nevertheless, as it has been also suggested in the conclusions of Chapter 6, this should be
done with more substantial integration of hydraulic and geometrical parameters that influence
network resilience. The statistical analyses done hint some patterns but mostly visible in
extreme cases of optimised diameters or increased demand. To continue with this approach,
many more case networks of different characteristics will have to be analysed. In parallel, an
attempt should be made to build more solid mathematical foundation into the concept, than
was the case in this research.