Pipeline maintenance information system

Abstract

To provide a pipeline maintenance information system that enables effective pipeline replacement by evaluating the degree of deterioration of underground pipelines and the impact of pipeline leakage, thereby determining the necessity of pipeline replacement. [Solution] The system comprises a pipeline information management unit 7 that manages pipeline information of the pipeline itself, an environmental information management unit 9 that manages environmental information of the area surrounding the pipeline that affects pipeline maintenance, and a pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 that estimates the pipeline maintenance status of the pipeline using pipeline information and environmental information. It identifies pipeline aging deterioration factors for pipelines that have exceeded a desired number of years since installation, pipeline aging deterioration factors for pipelines that have not yet exceeded a desired number of years since installation, and pipeline environmental deterioration factors in the most recent year, which is a shorter period than the number of years since installation. It identifies pipeline deterioration factors from pipeline aging deterioration factors and pipeline environmental deterioration factors, and estimates the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis from the identified pipeline deterioration factors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pipeline maintenance management information system, and particularly to a pipeline maintenance management information system capable of effectively renewing pipelines by evaluating the degree of deterioration of pipelines and the degree of influence caused by pipeline leakage to determine the necessity of pipeline renewal.

[0002] In recent years, due to the aging of water supply facilities and the increase in natural disasters, the risk threatening the stable supply of water has been rising, and it has become an urgent task to implement countermeasures for effective maintenance management of water supply facilities.

[0003] That is, in pipeline maintenance management centered on manual work, in the future, the risk of accidents due to insufficient manpower and budget, which cannot keep up with investigations, is increasing year by year. It is difficult to formulate a renewal plan that suits the financial situation only based on the renewal order determined by the service life, pipe type, installation environment, etc.

[0004] If this state continues, there is a risk that it will be difficult to maintain and provide a safe and secure water supply infrastructure, and it is required to solve these problems by a new pipeline maintenance management method, and various methods have been proposed.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of exploring potential features (factors) of pipe damage in pipe data by constructing a model based on machine learning.

[0006] That is, Patent Document 1 relates to pipe damage prediction for predicting leaks in an underground pipe network, constructs a model based on machine learning using a plurality of variables, and predicts the possibility of pipe leakage. By using potential features in pipe data in the pipe life of the damage prediction model and ranking the importance of potential features, the most important features are extracted and applied to the likelihood of the damage model created based on historical data and machine learning to predict the future damage possibility for each pipe in the pipe network.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 relates not only to predicting which pipelines will be damaged (leakage), as in Patent Document 1, but also to an AI-powered buried pipeline renewal planning system for formulating efficient buried pipeline renewal plans.

[0008] Specifically, Patent Document 2 describes an AI-powered underground pipeline renewal planning device that uses pipeline data recorded in a database managed by a pipeline management company to analyze pipeline deterioration predictions and renewal priorities, and automatically formulates an optimal renewal plan based on the budget. Furthermore, it is possible to select pipe type attributes and formulate plans that take price fluctuations into consideration, realizing realistic cost management and efficient renewal. This enables pipeline managers to easily create renewal plans for multiple pipelines and facilitates long-term maintenance. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2021-519433 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7488540 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] Until now, the majority of water utilities have implemented pipeline replacement plans and leak detection plans based on the statutory service life of water pipes, which is set at 40 years, and the occurrence of leaks. In this case, the focus was on extending the service life as much as possible by focusing on the risk of leaks in the pipelines (what causes pipeline deterioration). However, some municipalities (utilities) have repaired water pipes all at once at their own discretion due to various factors such as past disasters or large-scale development, so it was necessary to consider not only the statutory service life but also the circumstances of each municipality (utility).

[0011] Furthermore, because there is generally no defined definition of what causes deterioration, important factors were sometimes not reflected in the evaluation. In addition, the estimation of deterioration factors relied on the past knowledge and know-how of experienced individuals.

[0012] Furthermore, pipeline evaluations focus on individual pipelines, and results are presented on a per-pipe or narrow-area basis. As a result, the evaluation results for pipelines are scattered, making it difficult to incorporate them into leak detection plans and pipeline replacement plans.

[0013] Under these circumstances, the inventor of this case, after much consideration and trial and error in order to improve the above-mentioned problems, came up with a pipeline maintenance and management information system that can estimate and even visualize the condition of water pipelines laid underground. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a pipeline maintenance information system for estimating the condition of pipelines laid underground, comprising: a pipeline information management unit for managing pipeline information of the pipeline itself; an environmental information management unit for managing environmental information surrounding the laid pipeline that affects the maintenance of the pipeline; and a pipeline maintenance status estimation unit for estimating the pipeline maintenance status of the pipeline using the pipeline information and the environmental information, wherein the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit extracts at least one of the pipeline information or the environmental information for the pipeline that has exceeded a desired number of years of laying, and extracts from the leakage history held in the pipeline information the type of information that constitutes at least one of the pipeline information or the environmental information that is caused by leakage, for the pipeline that has exceeded the desired number of years of laying, which is the pipeline aging deterioration requirement. The method is characterized by identifying a cause, extracting at least one of the pipeline information or environmental information for the pipeline that has not yet reached the stated number of years since installation, identifying a type of information constituting at least one of the pipeline information or environmental information caused by leakage from the leakage history held in the pipeline information as a pipeline aging deterioration factor for the pipeline that has not yet reached the stated number of years since installation, extracting the pipeline information and environmental information for a desired most recent number of years shorter than the stated number of years since installation, identifying a type of information constituting the environmental information caused by leakage from the leakage history held in the pipeline information as a pipeline environmental deterioration factor, identifying pipeline deterioration factors from the pipeline aging deterioration factor and the pipeline environmental deterioration factor, and estimating the pipeline maintenance and management status at the pipeline level from the identified pipeline deterioration factors.

[0015] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system of the present invention further includes a map information management unit that manages map information of the area where the pipeline is laid, and the pipeline maintenance information system is capable of superimposing the pipeline maintenance status on the map information on a pipeline-by-pipe basis and outputting information that visualizes the pipeline maintenance status of the pipeline with respect to the pipeline laying location.

[0016] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system of the present invention further includes an impact information management unit for managing impact information when a water leak occurs in the pipeline, and the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit is characterized in that, when estimating the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis from the pipeline deterioration factors, it extracts the impact information from the impact information management unit on a pipeline-by-pipe basis and estimates the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis taking said impact information into account.

[0017] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system of the present invention further includes an estimation condition input unit for inputting the usage conditions of the pipeline information, environmental information, or impact information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit estimates the pipeline maintenance status, and the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit uses the number of years of laying input from the estimation condition input unit to identify any of the aforementioned type information as a factor in the aging deterioration of the pipeline for pipelines that have exceeded the said laying period, uses the number of years of laying input from the estimation condition input unit to identify any of the aforementioned type information as a factor in the aging deterioration of the pipeline for pipelines that have not exceeded the said laying period, and uses the most recent number of years of laying input from the estimation condition input unit to identify any of the aforementioned type information as a factor in the environmental deterioration of the pipeline.

[0018] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system of the present invention further includes an estimation condition input unit for inputting the usage conditions of the pipeline information, environmental information, or influence information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit estimates the pipeline maintenance status, and is characterized in that the weighting of the type information constituting the pipeline information, environmental information, or influence information in determining the pipeline aging deterioration factors, pipeline environmental deterioration factors, or pipeline deterioration factors can be set via the estimation condition input unit.

[0019] Furthermore, the pipeline information of the present invention is characterized in that it includes at least information that identifies the location, the number of years elapsed since installation, and the leakage history, which are linked to the identification information of the pipeline on a pipeline-by-pipe basis, and can also include the material of the pipeline or the location of valves.

[0020] Furthermore, the environmental information of the present invention is characterized in that it includes at least one of the type of surface geology or the type of land use, which is linked to the identification information of the pipeline or the map information.

[0021] Furthermore, the impact information of the present invention is characterized in that it includes at least one of the following, linked to the identification information of the pipeline or the map information: the presence or absence of a railway, whether the pipeline falls under an important category, the size of the population, the presence or absence of an active fault, the possibility of liquefaction, the presence or absence of facilities for use in times of disaster, the presence or absence of an important road, and the presence or absence of an industrial area.

[0022] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system of the present invention is characterized in that, with respect to the visualized information, the region displayed in the visualized information is divided into a number and / or size of districts, the pipeline maintenance status of the pipelines laid within each district is summarized for each district, and the pipeline maintenance status is displayed on a district-by-district basis. [Effects of the Invention]

[0023] According to the present invention, it becomes possible to accurately predict the risk of water leakage from the perspective of deterioration factors, thereby enabling efficient estimation of the condition of pipelines. This allows for the consideration of water leakage investigation methods and the prioritization of pipeline replacement for each problem point (by factor), and enables the efficient and easy formulation of pipeline maintenance measures. In other words, by analyzing trends for each user (business entity) of the pipeline maintenance information system and considering deterioration factors at the time of evaluation, it becomes possible to provide evaluation results tailored to the actual situation of each business entity.

[0024] That is, according to the present invention, by a new method of identifying the aging deterioration factors of pipelines that have passed the desired laying years, the aging deterioration factors of pipelines that have not passed the laying years, and the pipeline environmental deterioration factors in the desired recent years shorter than the laying years, identifying the pipeline deterioration factors from the pipeline aging deterioration factors and the pipeline environmental deterioration factors, and estimating the pipeline maintenance management status for each pipeline from the identified pipeline deterioration factors, it becomes possible to accurately predict the leakage risk from the perspective of deterioration factors. Therefore, it becomes possible to examine the leakage investigation method for each problem point (factor) and to examine the priority order of pipeline renewal, and it becomes possible to easily formulate pipeline maintenance management measures without waste.

[0025] Also, according to the present invention, it is necessary to set the recent years to be shorter than the desired laying years. By setting the recent years to be shorter than the laying years, it becomes possible to estimate the pipeline maintenance management status based on the environmental information in the recent (immediate) time, that is, the changes in the environment around the laid pipelines that are likely to have a great impact on the pipeline maintenance management, and it becomes possible to accurately predict the future leakage risk from the perspective of pipeline environmental deterioration factors.

[0026] Also, according to the present invention, since the pipeline maintenance management status can be superimposed on the map information for each pipeline and output as visualized information with respect to the laying position of the pipeline, by visualizing the pipeline status, it becomes possible to easily grasp the pipeline maintenance management status, and it becomes possible to realize an efficient leakage investigation plan and pipeline renewal plan without waste.

[0027] Also, according to the present invention, since it is provided with an impact information management unit for managing the impact information when leakage occurs in the pipeline and it is possible to estimate the pipeline maintenance management status taking into account the impact information, by evaluating not only the risk of leakage (deterioration factor) but also the degree of impact at the time of leakage (accident), considering the existence of railway crossing pipes, national and prefectural roads, and facilities used during disasters (hospitals, schools, designated emergency evacuation sites, etc.) that are affected by pipelines with a high accident risk, it is possible to provide the evaluation results.

[0028] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by providing an estimation condition input unit for inputting the usage conditions of pipeline information, environmental information, or impact information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit estimates the pipeline maintenance status, it is possible to provide evaluation results that correspond to the evaluation items that the user (business entity) of the pipeline maintenance information system considers important, thereby enabling the provision of evaluation results that are appropriate to the challenges of each business entity.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the region displayed in the visualized information can be divided into multiple districts of a desired number and / or size, and the pipeline maintenance status of the pipelines laid within these districts can be summarized for each district and displayed. As a result, it is possible to present highly accurate pipeline maintenance status for each district, taking into account the pipeline maintenance status of individual pipelines, using visualized information. This makes it easy to grasp the pipeline maintenance status for each district and enables efficient leak detection planning and pipeline replacement planning without waste. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the pipeline maintenance information system. [Figure 2] This diagram shows the route of the laid pipelines and the soil overlaid on a map. [Figure 3] This diagram overlays the route of the laid pipelines and information about their impact, such as railways and hospitals, onto a map. [Figure 4] This table shows the pipe type, fittings, and classification within pipeline information. [Figure 5] This table shows environmental information, specifically soil (surface geology) and land use classifications. [Figure 6] This table shows the data items for impact information and the input values ​​for each data item. [Figure 7] This is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure for pipeline information. [Figure 8] This is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure for environmental information. [Figure 9] This is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure for impact information. [Figure 10]This is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure for maintenance and management information. [Figure 11] This flowchart outlines the process for estimating the maintenance status of pipelines in the pipeline maintenance information system. [Figure 12] This flowchart shows the process for identifying factors contributing to the aging deterioration of pipelines by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 13] This table is used to determine the evaluation level for pipeline deterioration based on the type of pipe. [Figure 14] This table shows the evaluation levels for different pipe types in the process of identifying factors contributing to the aging deterioration of pipelines. [Figure 15] This figure shows the evaluation of pipeline deterioration based on the type of land use in the surrounding environment. [Figure 16] This flowchart shows the process for identifying factors contributing to pipeline environmental deterioration by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 17] This table shows examples of factors contributing to pipeline deterioration in recent years, based on the type of land use in the surrounding environment. [Figure 18] This flowchart shows the process for identifying pipeline deterioration factors by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 19] This table shows the results of increasing or decreasing the land use evaluation level in the process of identifying factors causing environmental degradation in pipelines. [Figure 20] This table shows the evaluation levels determined after re-evaluating the evaluation levels for each type of land use. [Figure 21] This table shows an example of a pipeline deterioration assessment table. [Figure 22] This flowchart shows the pipeline deterioration degree estimation process performed by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 23] This flowchart shows the pipeline impact assessment process performed by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 24] This table shows an example of a pipeline impact evaluation table set by the estimation condition input unit. [Figure 25] This flowchart shows the pipeline maintenance status estimation process performed by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 26]This figure shows the total number of pipelines at each pipeline ID evaluation level, with the degree of pipeline deterioration set on the horizontal axis and the impact of water leakage on the vertical axis. [Figure 27] This figure shows an example of displaying the importance of pipelines, categorized into four quadrants and assigned to each pipeline ID, superimposed on a map. [Figure 28] This flowchart shows the pipeline maintenance status display process performed by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit. [Figure 29] This diagram shows a portion of a pipeline layout diagram, divided into mesh units. [Figure 30] This figure shows an example of displaying the importance of pipelines at the mesh level, based on pipeline IDs, superimposed on a map. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] The following describes the configuration for implementing the pipeline maintenance information system according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. The present invention is a pipeline maintenance information system capable of estimating the maintenance status of pipelines laid underground and visualizing the estimation results. It identifies pipeline information or environmental information caused by leakage as pipeline aging deterioration factors from the leakage history held in the pipeline information, and further identifies environmental information caused by leakage as pipeline environmental deterioration factors from the leakage history held in the most recent pipeline information, which is shorter than the number of years since installation. It identifies pipeline deterioration factors from the pipeline aging deterioration factors and pipeline environmental deterioration factors, and estimates the pipeline maintenance status at the pipeline unit and district unit level from the identified pipeline deterioration factors, which can be used for pipeline maintenance, management, and renewal planning.

[0032] In this embodiment, we will particularly explain the estimation of the maintenance status of water pipelines that supply water, such as waterworks. The pipelines whose maintenance status is estimated are not limited to water pipelines, but may be any pipeline laid underground, such as gas pipes.

[0033] [Configuration of the pipeline maintenance information system] First, we will detail the configuration of the pipeline maintenance information system for estimating the maintenance status of underground pipelines and visualizing the estimation results, referring to Figure 1.

[0034] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the pipeline maintenance information system. As shown in Figure 1, the pipeline maintenance information system 1 includes a map information management unit 5 that manages map information of the area where pipelines are laid, a pipeline information management unit 7 that manages pipeline information of the pipelines themselves, an environmental information management unit 9 that manages environmental information of the surrounding area of ​​laid pipelines that affects pipeline maintenance, an impact information management unit 11 that manages impact information when leaks occur in pipelines, etc., a pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 that estimates the pipeline maintenance status using pipeline information, environmental information and impact information and stores it as maintenance information, an estimation condition input unit 17 that inputs the usage conditions of pipeline information, environmental information or impact information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 estimates the pipeline maintenance status, and a display unit 18 that can output information that visualizes the status of pipelines by superimposing it on map information. Map information, pipeline information, environmental information, impact information and maintenance information are stored in a storage unit 13 consisting of a storage device, and each piece of information is managed in database format.

[0035] The pipeline maintenance information system 1 is a computer system comprising a central processing unit (CPU), control unit, memory device, input / output device, etc. The memory device stores various information and programs related to various processes, and the CPU executes these programs to perform various processes.

[0036] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system 1 is connected to a network 20 that can take in pipeline information held by the water utility's computer, as well as external information such as map information, environmental information, and land information as open data. In addition, the operating terminals 25 of the water utility, the leak investigation site, and the leak repair construction site are connected via the network 20. Note that the external information providing device 22 shown in Figure 1 refers to a computer that holds the utility's pipeline information, a server that provides open data such as map information, environmental information, and impact information.

[0037] The following provides a detailed description of each component of the pipeline maintenance information system. The map information management unit 5 of the pipeline maintenance information system 1, shown in Figure 1, manages and stores map information related to the areas where the utility's pipelines are laid, and the map data is stored in the memory device. It can also store various types of information linked to the map information. This allows the pipeline maintenance information system 1 to display various types of information superimposed on the map information.

[0038] The pipeline information management unit 7 manages pipeline information for the pipelines themselves. Pipeline information includes the installation date (years elapsed), installation location (location information), pipeline length, valve location, type of pipeline material, and leakage history, all linked to a pipeline identification information (hereinafter referred to as pipeline ID), and is stored in the storage device 13.

[0039] Furthermore, map information is obtained from open data and stored as map information in the storage unit 13 by the map information management unit 5. Pipeline information is obtained from the computer of the water utility that manages the water supply business via the network 20 and stored as pipeline information in the storage unit 13 by the pipeline information management unit 7. In addition, pipeline information can be obtained at any time from the computer of the water utility that manages the water supply business via the network 20.

[0040] The Environmental Information Management Department 9 manages environmental information surrounding laid pipelines that affects pipeline maintenance and management. Environmental information includes information on the soil (surface geology), land use, etc., at the location where the pipeline is laid. Environmental information can be obtained from external open data, and soil (surface geology), land use, etc. data are obtained together with their location information in a form that can be linked to map information and overlaid on the map information.

[0041] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the route of the pipeline 30 laid on map 40 and the soil (surface geology) superimposed on it. The thick lines on map 40 in Figure 2, with black circles at both ends, represent the pipeline 30, and the ends indicate the positions of the start and end points. It is possible to treat (define) a single pipe located between these start and end points as pipeline 30, and furthermore, it is possible to treat (define) multiple consecutive pipes together as pipeline 30. In addition to a single pipe, pipeline 30 can also be defined as a collection of any desired number of consecutive pipes.

[0042] Furthermore, the pipeline 30 is not limited to a single pipe or a collection of any desired number of pipes in a continuous line, but rather, in a single pipe or a collection of continuous pipes, the starting and ending points of the pipeline 30 are not limited to any intermediate position (latitude and longitude) along the pipeline, where the starting and ending points of the pipes are at one end or the other end of the pipeline 30.

[0043] Further environmental information is obtained for each pipeline ID, specifically data on soil (surface geology) at the location of pipeline 30 shown in Figure 2. From the data indicating the type of soil (surface geology) at the location where pipeline 30 is laid, it is possible to determine what type of soil (surface geology) each pipeline 30 is laid in. Furthermore, land use data from the environmental information is obtained for each type, superimposed on the map information. From the land use data at the location where pipeline 30 is laid, it is possible to determine what type of land use each pipeline 30 is laid in. Environmental information is digitized information for each pipeline ID. Details of the environmental information will be described later.

[0044] The Impact Information Management Unit 11 manages impact information in the event of a water leak or other incident in a pipeline. The impact information is based on a pipeline ID and covers information on nearby railways, pipeline classifications, population, active faults / liquefaction, disaster relief facilities, national / prefectural roads, industrial areas, etc. It is used to assess the importance of each pipeline by comparing it with information on railways, road traffic, disaster relief facilities such as hospitals and schools that would be affected in the event of a water leak or other incident.

[0045] Figure 3 is a diagram showing the route of the pipeline 30 laid out on map 40, with impact information such as railways and hospitals superimposed. The impact information is obtained from open data and superimposed on the map information, including road information, population distribution, and disaster-use facilities. It is the target information within a predetermined range set from the location where the pipeline 30 is laid, such as the presence or absence of railways, the number of people, and the number of disaster-use facilities, and is stored for each pipeline ID. The impact information is digitized for each pipeline ID. Details of the impact information will be described later.

[0046] Maintenance information is information that ranks the maintenance status for each pipeline ID estimated by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15, and stores the degree of deterioration, impact, and importance for each pipeline ID as maintenance information.

[0047] The estimation condition input unit 17 is used to input conditions such as pipeline information, environmental information, impact information, laying years, most recent years, and weighting of various information when estimating the pipeline maintenance status. Input to the estimation condition input unit 17 is done, for example, by entering setting conditions into the items of various information displayed in a menu format.

[0048] The pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 estimates the pipeline maintenance status using pipe type information, environmental information, impact information, and conditions such as the number of years since installation, the most recent number of years since installation, and weightings entered from the estimation condition input unit 17. The pipeline maintenance status is ranked on a per-pipe ID basis as the degree of pipeline deterioration and the impact when a leak occurs, and the importance of pipeline replacement, etc. is evaluated, and the ranked degree of deterioration, impact, and importance are stored as pipeline maintenance information on a per-pipe ID basis.

[0049] The display unit 18 overlays various types of information, including pipeline information, environmental information, impact information, and pipeline maintenance status, onto the map information. The display unit 18 has a layer display processing function that overlays information onto the map, and processes the display of specified types of information on the map in a hierarchical manner. It is also possible to summarize the pipeline maintenance status of pipelines laid within a district for each district and overlay it on the map as pipeline maintenance status for each district.

[0050] External information includes map information, pipeline information, environmental information, and impact information, which are imported into the pipeline maintenance information system 1 from external sources via network 20. Map information is available from sources such as the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan and Google Maps (registered trademark). Pipeline information is data on pipelines held by water utilities. Environmental information can utilize soil (surface geology), land use, etc., from the National Land Numerical Information provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Impact information can utilize data provided by the government, local authorities, etc., and this data includes location information (latitude, longitude, address). Note that the external information sources are examples only and are not limited to these.

[0051] The operating terminal 25 is a device that allows water utility managers, on-site leak investigators, and on-site leak repair personnel to operate the pipeline maintenance information system 1 via the network 20. The operating terminal 25 can be a PC (personal computer), a portable tablet, a smartphone, or the like, all capable of communicating with the pipeline maintenance information system 1 via the network 20.

[0052] [Regarding pipeline information and environmental information types] The following describes the types of data (fields) for pipeline information and environmental information used to identify pipeline deterioration factors in order to estimate the maintenance status of underground pipelines using the pipeline maintenance information system 1. Note that the types of data (fields) for pipeline information and environmental information described below are examples only and are not exhaustive. Figure 4 is a table showing the types of pipeline information in terms of pipe type, joints, and pipeline classification, and Figure 5 is a table showing the types of environmental information in terms of soil (surface geology) and land use.

[0053] First, the pipe type information in pipeline information will be explained with reference to Figure 4. As shown in Figure 4(a), there are eight types of pipe types in pipeline information: PVC pipes (VP, HIVP), cast iron pipes (CIP), ductile cast iron pipes (DCIP), asbestos cement pipes (ACP), steel pipes (GP, SGP, STPY, VLP), stainless steel pipes (SUS), copper pipes (CP), and polyethylene pipes (PP, PE). Each pipeline laid underground is one of these eight types of pipe types in pipeline information. Also, as shown in Figure 4(b), there are four types of joints in pipeline information: spigot joints (lead-coated), A-type, K-type, and unknown. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4(c), there are three types of pipeline classifications in pipeline information: water supply pipes, main water distribution pipes, and branch water distribution pipes (no water supply). Furthermore, the type information for each item in the pipeline information can be added, deleted, etc., by the pipeline information management unit 7.

[0054] Next, we will explain the type information of the environmental information item data (field) with reference to Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5(a), the types of soil (surface geology) in environmental information consist of eight types: mud, sand, gravel, mud / sand / gravel interbeds, sandstone / mudstone interbeds, granitic rock, andesitic rock, and unknown. The land surrounding each pipeline laid underground is one of the eight types of soil in the environmental information.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5(b), the land use categories in environmental information consist of 10 types: paddy fields, other agricultural land, forests, wasteland, building sites, roads, railways, rivers and lakes, golf courses, and other land. The land use of each underground pipeline is one of the 10 land use categories in environmental information.

[0056] [Information about the types of impact] Furthermore, the pipeline maintenance information system 1 is equipped with an impact information management unit 11 that manages impact information in the event of a water leak in the pipeline. It is possible to extract impact information from the impact information management unit 11 on a pipeline-by-pipe basis and estimate the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis, taking the impact information into account. The details of the types of impact information are described below. Figure 6 is a table showing the data items of the impact information and the input values ​​for each data item.

[0057] As shown in Figure 6, the impact information consists of 10 types of impact targets per pipeline ID: railways, pipeline classification, population, active faults, liquefaction risk, number of medical facilities, number of evacuation facilities, number of schools, emergency traffic routes, national / prefectural roads, and industrial areas. Note that medical facilities, evacuation facilities, and schools are facilities used during disasters. Input values ​​are stored for the impact targets per pipeline ID. For example, the input values ​​include the presence and number of facilities located within a specified area from the laid pipeline.

[0058] [Regarding the data structure of pipeline information, water leakage history information, and environmental information] Next, we will explain the data structure of pipeline information, leakage history information, environmental information, impact information, and maintenance information. Figure 7 is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure of pipeline information. As shown in Figure 7(a), pipeline information stores item data (fields) such as pipeline ID, which is the identification information of the pipeline on a per-pipe basis; installation date when the pipeline was installed; pipe type, which indicates the material of the pipeline; joints; location information (starting point (latitude), starting point (longitude), ending point (latitude), ending point (longitude)); pipeline length, which is the length of the pipeline; valve location; and pipeline classification, which indicates the (purpose) classification of the pipeline.

[0059] Furthermore, the pipeline information management unit 7 stores leakage history information. As shown in Figure 7(b), the leakage history information in the pipeline information is leakage information per pipeline ID, and consists of the date of leakage (occurrence), cause of leakage, and location of leakage, and stores data for the number of times leakage has occurred.

[0060] Figure 8 is a data structure diagram showing an example of the environmental information data structure. Environmental information at the location where the pipeline is installed is read from environmental information linked to map information. As shown in Figure 8, the environmental information stores one of the following for each pipeline ID: soil (surface geology) at the location where the pipeline is installed: mud, sand, gravel, mud / sand / gravel interbeds, sandstone / mudstone interbeds, granitic rock, andesitic rock, or unknown. In addition, the environmental information stores one of the following for each pipeline ID: land use at the location where the pipeline is installed: paddy field, other agricultural land, forest, wasteland, building site, road, railway, riverbed and lake, golf course, or other land. Furthermore, environmental information at the location where the pipeline is installed can also be read from environmental information linked to map information as needed. This eliminates the need to acquire the environmental information data shown in Figure 8 in advance.

[0061] [Regarding the data structure of impact information and maintenance information] Figure 9 is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure of impact information. Impact information at the location where the pipeline is installed is read from impact information linked to map information. As shown in Figure 9, the impact information stores the presence or absence of railways (which are the affected targets for each pipeline ID), whether the pipeline is a water transmission pipe, a main water distribution pipe, or a branch water distribution pipe (which cannot supply water), the population size (number of people), the presence or absence of active faults, the presence or absence of liquefaction risk, the number of medical facilities, the number of evacuation facilities, the number of schools, the presence or absence of emergency transportation routes, the presence or absence of national / prefectural roads, and the presence or absence of industrial areas. It is also possible to read impact information at the location where the pipeline is installed from the impact information linked to map information as needed. This eliminates the need to acquire the impact information data shown in Figure 9 in advance.

[0062] Figure 10 is a data structure diagram showing an example of the data structure of maintenance information. As shown in Figure 10, the maintenance information consists of deterioration degree, impact degree, and importance degree. The deterioration degree stores the rank of the pipeline deterioration degree estimated by the pipeline deterioration degree estimation process for each pipeline ID, the impact degree stores the rank of the impact degree evaluated by the pipeline impact degree evaluation process for each pipeline ID, and the importance degree stores the rank of the importance degree for each pipeline ID evaluated from the deterioration degree and impact degree. The pipeline information, leakage history information, environmental information, impact information, and maintenance information described above are managed in database format, and it is possible to retrieve the necessary information using the pipeline ID as a key, for example.

[0063] [Overview of the estimation process for pipeline maintenance status] Next, we will explain the process for estimating the maintenance status of underground pipelines in the pipeline maintenance information system 1. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an overview of the pipeline maintenance status estimation process in the pipeline maintenance information system.

[0064] As shown in Figure 11, the estimation condition input unit 17 first inputs the number of years since installation, the most recent number of years since installation, the evaluation level when identifying deterioration factors, the weighting when identifying pipeline deterioration factors, the weighting in the pipeline impact evaluation process, and the degree of dispersion of each evaluation level in the pipeline impact evaluation process, as well as the specification of the mesh unit to be superimposed on the map information in the display unit 18 (step S1).

[0065] Furthermore, the installation period can be set to any desired period. Currently, the statutory service life of pipelines is 40 years from the date of installation. In the present, each business entity selects pipelines with a high risk of leakage from those that have exceeded this statutory service life of 40 years and targets them for replacement plans. Therefore, it is also possible to set the installation period to 40 years.

[0066] Furthermore, the most recent number of years must be set to a number shorter than the number of years since installation entered in the estimation condition input unit 17. Setting the most recent number of years to a number shorter than the number of years since installation makes it possible to estimate the degree of pipeline deterioration based on recent environmental information, that is, changes in the environment surrounding the laid pipeline that affect the maintenance and management of the pipeline.

[0067] Furthermore, although the input of conditions etc. by the estimation condition input unit 17 is performed all at once, it is also possible to input the conditions etc. necessary for each process via the estimation condition input unit 17 before executing each process.

[0068] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs a pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process (step S2). The pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process extracts pipeline information or environmental information divided into before and after the number of years of laying, which is input to the estimation condition input unit 17 from the pipeline information management unit 7 or the environmental information management unit 9, and identifies one of the types of information that constitutes pipeline information or environmental information caused by leakage from the leakage history held in the pipeline information as a pipeline aging deterioration factor.

[0069] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification processing (step S3). The pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification processing extracts pipeline information or environmental information from the pipeline information management unit 7 or environmental information management unit 9 that is shorter than the number of years since installation, which is entered into the estimation condition input unit 17, and identifies one of the types of information that constitute environmental information caused by leakage from the leakage history held in the pipeline information as a pipeline environmental deterioration factor.

[0070] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs pipeline deterioration factor identification processing (step S4). The pipeline deterioration factor identification processing is a process that identifies pipeline deterioration factors by adding the evaluation level of the soil / land use type that is a cause of environmental deterioration of the pipeline, as identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification processing, to the evaluation level of the soil / land use type that was identified in the pipeline aging deterioration factor identification processing.

[0071] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs pipeline deterioration estimation processing (step S5). The pipeline deterioration estimation processing extracts the pipe type, soil, land use type, etc., of the pipeline ID from the pipeline information of the pipeline information management unit 7, and estimates the degree of pipeline deterioration using the pipeline deterioration evaluation table. The estimation results of the degree of pipeline deterioration for each pipeline ID are stored in the maintenance information.

[0072] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs pipeline impact evaluation processing (step S6). The pipeline impact evaluation processing extracts impact information for each pipeline ID from the pipeline information in the pipeline information management unit 7 and evaluates the impact for each pipeline ID using the pipeline impact evaluation table at the time of leakage. The impact evaluation results are saved in the maintenance information.

[0073] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs pipeline maintenance status estimation processing (step S7). The pipeline maintenance status estimation processing evaluates the importance of the maintenance status for each pipeline ID based on the degree of deterioration from the pipeline deterioration estimation processing and the degree of influence from the pipeline influence evaluation processing. The evaluated importance is stored in the maintenance information.

[0074] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 performs pipeline maintenance status display processing (step S8). The pipeline maintenance status display processing is a process that overlays the importance of pipeline maintenance status at the mesh level onto map information and displays the importance of pipelines in the pipeline maintenance status at the pipeline level.

[0075] [Regarding the process for identifying factors contributing to the deterioration of pipelines over time] The following details the estimation process for the pipeline maintenance status in the pipeline maintenance information system 1 shown in Figure 11.

[0076] First, the process by which the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 identifies factors for aging deterioration of pipelines is described in detail with reference to Figure 12. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the process by which the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 identifies factors for aging deterioration of pipelines.

[0077] The pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process first acquires the estimation conditions set in the estimation condition input unit 17. The estimation conditions to be acquired include the number of years since the pipeline was laid, the type of pipe, the soil, the threshold level for evaluation of the land use type, etc. (Step S10).

[0078] Next, the pipeline information management unit 7 extracts pipeline IDs for pipelines prior to the installation year and pipeline IDs for pipelines after the installation year. At this time, the pipeline information and environmental information of the extracted pipeline IDs are used to select the pipe type / soil / land use type and the number of pipelines for each type is aggregated (Step S11). Next, the pipeline information and environmental information of the extracted pipeline IDs that have a history of water leakage are used to select the pipe type / soil / land use type and the number of pipelines with actual water leakage for each type is aggregated (Step S12). Next, the estimated number of leaks is calculated for each pipe type / soil / land use type, assuming that water leakage occurred according to the distribution (ratio) of each type of pipeline (Step S13).

[0079] Next, the types of pipes, soil, and land use that are causing deterioration in the pipelines are extracted from the acquired number of leaking pipelines and the calculated estimated number of leaking pipelines, and then applied to the evaluation level (Step S14). Details of the process for assigning evaluation levels will be described later.

[0080] [Regarding the process for identifying factors contributing to the aging deterioration of pipelines based on pipe type] The following describes the process for identifying factors contributing to pipeline aging deterioration by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 in the pipeline maintenance information system 1, using pipe type as an example. Figure 13 is a table for determining the evaluation level in pipeline deterioration related to pipe type. First, we will explain the pipe types for pipelines that have been in place for a desired number of years (also called the set number of elapsed years) or longer, referring to Figure 13. When the set number of elapsed years is, for example, 40 years (indicated as 40 years in the figure), the total number of pipelines that have exceeded 40 years from the installation date of the pipeline information (number of pipelines that have exceeded their age limit) is extracted. In Figure 13, the number of pipelines that have exceeded their age limit is 23,496.

[0081] The ratio of the number of pipes appearing for each pipe type to the total number of pipes that have been in service for a given year is calculated as the unit occurrence rate for each pipe type (indicated as occurrence rate b in the figure). In Figure 13, the number of PVC pipes appearing is 2157, and the unit occurrence rate for each pipe type (occurrence rate b), which is the ratio of PVC pipes to the total number of pipes that have been in service for a given year, is 9.2%. The unit occurrence rate for each pipe type for cast iron pipes is 22.6%. Similarly, the unit occurrence rate for each pipe type is calculated for other pipe types.

[0082] Next, pipelines that have experienced leaks in pipelines that have exceeded their lifespan are extracted as pipelines that have experienced leaks in pipelines that have exceeded their lifespan. In Figure 13, the number of pipelines that have experienced leaks in pipelines that have exceeded their lifespan (indicated as "number of leaking pipelines" in the figure) is 471. The estimated number of pipelines per unit of lifespan that have exceeded their lifespan (indicated as "estimated number of pipelines c" in the figure) is calculated by multiplying the number of pipelines that have experienced leaks in pipelines that have exceeded their lifespan by the occurrence rate per unit of lifespan for each type. In Figure 13, the estimated number of pipelines per unit of lifespan for each type of PVC pipe is 43.23. The actual number of pipelines per unit of lifespan that have exceeded their lifespan that have experienced leaks in pipelines that have exceeded their lifespan is calculated as the actual number of pipelines per unit of lifespan that have exceeded their lifespan (indicated as "actual number of pipelines d" in the figure). In Figure 13, the actual number of pipelines per unit of lifespan that have exceeded their lifespan for each type of PVC pipe is 72.

[0083] Next, the type of pipeline whose ratio of the actual number of pipelines of the same type that have aged over time to the assumed number of pipelines of the same type that have aged over time is higher is evaluated as a type of pipeline deterioration factor in pipelines that have aged over time, and it is ranked in one of four stages, A, B, C, or D, in the pipeline deterioration degree evaluation table.

[0084] As shown in Figure 13, the estimated number of PVC pipes per unit age is 43.23, while the actual number of PVC pipes per unit age is 72. The ratio of the actual number of PVC pipes per unit age to the estimated number of PVC pipes per unit age (indicated as the pipe leakage rate x in the figure) is 167%.

[0085] Similarly, the ratio of the actual number of pipes per unit of age that have reached their expected age to the expected number of pipes per unit of age that have reached their expected age (expected pipe leakage rate) is 242% for cast iron pipes, 34% for ductile cast iron pipes, 0% for asbestos cement pipes (ACP), 603% for steel pipes (GP, SGP, STPY, VLP), 0% for stainless steel pipes (SUS), 328% for copper pipes (CP), and 0% for polyethylene pipes (PP, PE).

[0086] The ratio of the actual number of pipelines of the same type that have reached the expected number of pipelines of the same type that have reached the expected number of pipelines of the same type that have reached the expected number of pipelines of the same type that have reached the expected number of pipelines of the same type that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines that have reached the expected number of pipelines of the same type

[0087] Therefore, if the percentage significantly exceeds 100%, it is likely that the actual number of leaking pipes is greater than the expected number, and that the pipe type is likely the cause of the leak. On the other hand, if the percentage significantly falls below 100%, it can be estimated that the actual number of leaking pipes is less than the expected number, and that the pipe type is less likely to be the cause of the leak.

[0088] Similarly, for pipelines with an elapsed age of less than 40 years, as shown in Figure 13, the ratio of the actual number of pipelines of the same type with an elapsed age to the assumed number of pipelines of the same type with an elapsed age (indicated as pipeline leakage rate x in the figure) is higher for stainless steel pipes (SUS) and PVC pipes. Next, the evaluation level for each pipe type is determined by applying it to the threshold evaluation level set by the estimation condition input unit 17.

[0089] Based on the above, the evaluation level for each pipe type in the pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process is determined. Figure 14 shows the evaluation results for the evaluation levels of pipelines with an elapsed age of 40 years or more and pipelines with an elapsed age of less than 40 years in the pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process.

[0090] Furthermore, the evaluation of pipeline deterioration based on the type of land use in the surrounding environment, as shown in Figure 15, is performed in the same way as the processing for pipe type, as shown in Figure 15(a), to calculate the estimated pipeline leakage rate x for each type of land use. Based on the calculated estimated pipeline leakage rate x, the evaluation level for land use is determined by applying it to the threshold evaluation level set by the estimation condition input unit 17. As shown in Figure 15(b), the evaluation level for land use in the pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process is determined. Similarly, the evaluation level for pipeline deterioration based on soil type in the pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process is also determined.

[0091] [Regarding the process for identifying factors causing deterioration of the pipeline environment] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit's process for identifying pipeline environmental degradation factors will be described in detail with reference to Figure 16. Figure 16 is a flowchart showing the pipeline environmental degradation factor identification process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15. The pipeline environmental degradation factor identification process first acquires the estimation conditions set in the estimation condition input unit 17. The estimation conditions to be acquired include the most recent number of years since the pipeline was built, the soil, the threshold level for evaluation of land use type, etc. (Step S20).

[0092] Next, after obtaining the evaluation level threshold, all pipeline IDs with a history of water leakage are read from the pipeline information of the pipeline information management unit 7 (step S21). Next, the type of soil / land use is selected from the pipeline information and environmental information of the read pipeline IDs, and the total number of pipelines with water leakage for each type is aggregated (step S22). In addition, the type of soil / land use is extracted from the number of pipelines with water leakage in the most recent number of years set to a period shorter than the laying year, and from the environmental information of the pipelines with water leakage (step S22). Note that the most recent number of years is a period shorter than the laying year; for example, the most recent number of years of 10 years refers to the period from the present to the past 10 years.

[0093] Next, the estimated number of leaks is calculated assuming that leaks occurred according to the distribution of different types of pipelines for each type of soil / land use (Step S23). After calculating the estimated number of leaks, the types of soil / land use that are causing pipeline deterioration are extracted from the acquired number of leaked pipelines and the calculated estimated number of leaks (Step S24).

[0094] The following describes the process for identifying pipeline environmental degradation factors by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 in the pipeline maintenance information system 1, using land use as an example. As a type of influencing factor, the evaluation of pipeline degradation based on the type of land use in the surrounding environment will be explained with reference to Figure 17. Figure 17 is a table showing an example of the extraction of pipeline degradation factors in the most recent years based on the type of land use in the surrounding environment.

[0095] As shown in Figure 17, the land use categories include rice paddies, other agricultural land, forests, wasteland, building sites, roads, railways, other land, rivers and lakes, and golf courses. Note that these land use categories are examples only and are not exhaustive.

[0096] From the pipeline information, pipelines where water leakage has occurred are extracted as the total number of pipelines where water leakage has occurred. This extraction process is performed on all pipelines where water leakage has occurred, regardless of the number of years since installation. In Figure 17, the total number of pipelines where water leakage has occurred is 540. Next, from the land use information of the environmental data, the number of pipelines (number of appearing pipelines a) for each type of land use at the location where the pipelines where water leakage has occurred are calculated. In Figure 17, the number of appearing pipelines for rice paddies is 42, for other agricultural land it is 9, for forests it is 21, for building sites it is 486, for roads it is 39, for railways it is 6, and so on.

[0097] Next, the proportion of leaks in all pipelines for each land use type is calculated as the unit occurrence rate for each type of pipeline. For example, in the paddy field, which is one of the land use types shown in Figure 17, the number of leaks in pipelines is 42, and the unit occurrence rate for each type of pipeline (indicated as occurrence rate b in the figure) is 7.8%.

[0098] Furthermore, in the category of other agricultural land shown in Figure 17, the number of leaking pipelines (a) is 9, and the unit occurrence rate of all pipeline types experiencing leaks is 1.7%. Similarly, the unit occurrence rate of all pipeline types experiencing leaks is calculated for the categories of forest, wasteland, building sites, roads, railways, other land, rivers and lakes, and golf courses.

[0099] Furthermore, a desired most recent period (also referred to as the set most recent period) shorter than the desired installation period is set to 10 years, and leak-causing pipelines that have experienced leaks in the most recent 10 years are extracted from the leak history information as leak-causing pipelines in the set most recent period (indicated as "recent leak-causing pipelines" in the figure). As shown in Figure 17, the number of leak-causing pipelines in the set most recent period extracted from the leak data is 177.

[0100] After extracting the pipelines that experienced leaks in the most recent period, the estimated number of pipelines per type of leak that occurred in the most recent period (indicated as "estimated number of pipelines c" in the figure) is calculated by multiplying the number of pipelines that experienced leaks in the most recent period by the unit occurrence rate of all pipeline types that experienced leaks. For example, for a type of water leak (e.g., rice paddy), the estimated number of pipelines per type that experienced leaks in the most recent period is 13.77, given that there were 177 pipelines that experienced leaks in the most recent period and the unit occurrence rate of all pipeline types that experienced leaks was 7.8%.

[0101] Next, the actual number of leaks occurring in pipelines with each type of influencing factor during the most recent period is calculated (extracted) as the actual number of pipelines per leak type during the most recent period (indicated as "actual number of pipelines d" in the figure). As shown in Figure 17, in the case of paddy fields, the actual number of pipelines per leak type during the most recent period is 18.

[0102] The ratio of the actual number of pipelines per unit of leakage occurrence for the same influencing factor type during the most recent period to the assumed number of pipelines per unit of leakage occurrence for the same influencing factor type during the most recent period is calculated as the most recent pipeline leakage assumption rate x, and influencing factor types with a higher most recent pipeline leakage assumption rate are evaluated as surrounding environment deterioration factor types.

[0103] For example, if the most recent period is set to 10 years, and the estimated leakage rate of the most recent pipelines significantly exceeds 100%, it is estimated that the likelihood of this being a cause of leakage in recent years is increasing. On the other hand, if the estimated leakage rate of the most recent pipelines significantly falls below 100%, it is estimated that the likelihood of this being a cause of leakage in recent years is decreasing. In the land use categories shown in Figure 17, it can be confirmed that the estimated leakage rate x of the most recent pipelines over the most recent period of 10 years is high for railways, rivers and lakes, and rice paddies.

[0104] [Regarding the process for identifying the causes of pipeline deterioration] Next, the pipeline deterioration factor identification process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 18. Figure 18 is a flowchart showing the pipeline deterioration factor identification process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15. The pipeline deterioration factor identification process takes into account the evaluation level of the soil / land use type that is a cause of environmental deterioration of the pipeline in the most recent years, as identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process, and identifies the pipeline deterioration factors by considering the environmental deterioration factors of the pipeline in the most recent years.

[0105] The pipeline deterioration factor identification process first acquires the estimation conditions set in the estimation condition input unit 17. The estimation conditions to be acquired include the most recent number of years since the pipeline was built, the threshold values ​​for the evaluation level of the soil and land use types (step S30). Next, the pipe type / soil / land use types that are the cause of pipeline deterioration over time, as identified in the pipeline deterioration factor identification process shown in Figure 15(b), are extracted for each evaluation level (step S31). Next, the soil / land use types that are the cause of environmental deterioration for pipelines of the most recent number of years since the pipeline was built, as identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process, are extracted for each evaluation level (step S32).

[0106] Next, in identifying pipeline deterioration factors, the evaluation levels of the soil / land use types that constitute the environmental information identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process are added to the evaluation levels of the soil / land use types that are causing the pipeline environmental deterioration identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process to identify pipeline deterioration factors (step S33). That is, in identifying pipeline deterioration factors, in the input of estimation conditions, the evaluation levels of the soil / land use types that are causing the environmental deterioration identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process are added to the evaluation levels of the soil / land use types that are causing the environmental deterioration identified in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process. As a result, the evaluation levels of pipe type / soil / land use for each pipeline are finally determined.

[0107] To explain in more detail, the process of identifying pipeline environmental deterioration factors revealed, for example, in the railway land use category shown in Figure 17, the ratio of the actual number of pipelines per unit of leakage occurrence for the same influencing factor category to the assumed number of pipelines per unit of leakage occurrence for the most recent period (immediate pipeline leakage assumption rate x) is a large 303%, suggesting a high probability of it being a cause of leakage in recent years. Therefore, the ranking of the railway land use category will be increased by two ranks. As a result, the ranking of the railway land use category in terms of pipeline deterioration factors over time will be changed from evaluation level D to evaluation level B.

[0108] On the other hand, the ranking of railways as a land use type in the pipeline deterioration factor type for pipelines that have not yet reached their time limit is already at evaluation level A, so there is no change from evaluation level A. Also, for land use types such as rice paddies, rivers, and lakes, the proportion of actual pipelines per unit of leakage occurrence type in the most recent period is 130% or more, so the evaluation level is raised by one rank. On the other hand, for other agricultural land, forests, building sites, and other land, the proportion of actual pipelines per unit of leakage occurrence type in the most recent period is around 100%, so there is no change in the evaluation level. For wasteland and golf courses, it is well below 100%, and it can be evaluated that the possibility of leakage has decreased, so the evaluation level is lowered by one rank. Figure 19 shows the increase or decrease in the evaluation level of land use in the pipeline environmental deterioration factor identification process. Note that the ranking of the evaluation level is determined by applying it to the threshold entered in the estimation condition input unit 17.

[0109] Based on the above, the evaluation level of the land use type that is a factor in the aging deterioration of the pipeline shown in Figure 15(b) is re-evaluated by increasing or decreasing the evaluation level related to land use shown in Figure 19, and the evaluation level of the land use type is newly determined as shown in Figure 20. Figure 20 is a table showing the evaluation levels determined by re-evaluating the evaluation level for land use type.

[0110] [Creation of pipeline deterioration evaluation table] Next, we will explain how to create a pipeline deterioration evaluation table for determining the degree of deterioration of laid pipelines. Figure 21 is an example of a pipeline deterioration evaluation table. As shown in Figure 21, the pipeline deterioration evaluation table consists of evaluation items in the horizontal direction, such as elapsed years, leakage locations, soil (surface geology), land use, pipe type, and joints. In addition, the pipeline deterioration evaluation table has evaluation levels in the vertical direction for each item, consisting of four levels: A, B, C, and D. Evaluation level A is the highest rank for pipeline deterioration in that item, and evaluation level D is the lowest rank.

[0111] The pipeline deterioration evaluation table lists the type and number of items for each item of pipeline information and environmental information, categorized by evaluation level. The ranking of each item in the pipeline deterioration evaluation table is explained below. For the elapsed years in the pipeline deterioration evaluation table, the total number of pipelines with an elapsed age of 40 years or more and those with an elapsed age of less than 40 years is aggregated from the pipeline information. Based on the number of leaking pipelines with an elapsed age of 40 years or more (pipelines that have exceeded the desired laying period of 40 years) and the number of leaking pipelines with an elapsed age of less than 40 years (pipelines that have not exceeded the desired laying period of 40 years), a significant difference in the leakage rate is observed between pipelines with an elapsed age of 40 years or more and those with an elapsed age of less than 40 years. Therefore, pipelines with an elapsed age of 40 years or more are ranked A, and pipelines with an elapsed age of less than 40 years are ranked D.

[0112] The number of leak locations in the pipeline deterioration evaluation table represents the number of leaks that have occurred in the pipeline under evaluation in the past. Evaluation level A is 4 to 8 locations (4 or more), evaluation level B is 2 to 3 locations, evaluation level C is 1 location, and evaluation level D is 0 locations (no leaks). In addition, the evaluation levels related to pipe type, soil, and land use will be based on the results obtained from the pipeline deterioration factor identification process.

[0113] [Regarding the pipeline deterioration estimation process] Next, the pipeline deterioration degree estimation process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit will be described in detail with reference to Figure 22. Figure 22 is a flowchart showing the pipeline deterioration degree estimation process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15. The pipeline deterioration degree estimation process extracts the pipeline ID, pipe type, soil, land use type, etc. from the pipeline information, and estimates the pipeline deterioration degree using a pipeline deterioration degree evaluation table consisting of evaluation levels for each pipeline deterioration factor, pipe type, soil, and land use type. The estimation results are saved in the maintenance information.

[0114] Specifically, the pipeline deterioration estimation process first obtains the estimation conditions set in the estimation condition input unit 17. The estimation conditions to be obtained are the estimation conditions (evaluation level) set in the estimation condition input unit 17 and the items used for pipeline deterioration estimation (such as joints) and their weighting information (step S40). Next, the types of pipes / soil / land use that are pipeline deterioration factors identified in the pipeline aging deterioration factor identification process shown in Figure 12 and the pipeline deterioration factor identification process shown in Figure 18, as well as the evaluation level for each type, are obtained (step S41). As a result, the pipeline deterioration evaluation table shown in Figure 21 is created.

[0115] Next, pipeline information is extracted from the pipeline information in the pipeline information management unit 7 on a pipeline ID basis, and information such as pipe type / soil / land use, as well as joints used for estimating the degree of pipeline deterioration is obtained (step S42). Next, using the information set in the pipeline deterioration evaluation table, such as pipeline deterioration factors and years elapsed, number of leak locations, and joints, the evaluation level is matched for each item on a pipeline ID basis, and the degree of pipeline deterioration (evaluation level A to D) on a pipeline ID basis is estimated. For example, the number of evaluation level A items on a pipeline ID basis is aggregated, and the evaluation level is determined from the degree of pipeline deterioration shown in the right column of Figure 21, and saved in the deterioration section of the maintenance information (step S43).

[0116] [Regarding the pipeline impact assessment process] Next, the pipeline impact evaluation process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit will be described in detail with reference to Figure 23. Figure 23 is a flowchart of the pipeline impact evaluation process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15. The pipeline impact evaluation process is a process that evaluates the impact when a water leak occurs. First, the estimation condition input unit 17 obtains estimation conditions such as the threshold of the evaluation level, items such as disaster relief facilities used for extracting impact information and their weightings, and the degree of dispersion of the evaluation level (step S50).

[0117] Figure 24 shows an example of a pipeline impact assessment table created using the items and evaluation levels set by the estimation condition input unit 17. Impact information such as railway / pipeline classification / population / active faults / liquefaction risk / disaster relief facilities / national / prefectural roads / industrial areas is obtained from the impact information management unit 11 on a pipeline ID basis (step S51).

[0118] Next, using the information set in the pipeline impact assessment table, such as railway / pipeline classification / population / active faults / liquefaction risk / disaster relief facilities / national / prefectural roads / industrial areas, the assessment level is matched for each item at the pipeline ID level, and the impact level (assessment levels A to D) at the pipeline ID level is evaluated. The assessment of the impact level at the pipeline ID level is performed, for example, by aggregating assessment levels A and B, and determining the assessment level based on the impact level 1 or assessment level 2. The results of the evaluation are saved in the impact information of the maintenance management information (step S52).

[0119] Furthermore, evaluation level 1 in the pipeline impact assessment table takes into account the dispersion of pipelines. For example, focusing on the number of evaluation level A pipelines, if the number of evaluation level A pipelines is 3 or more, the importance is set to evaluation level A. Evaluation level 2 is when the evaluation levels are evenly distributed, and the importance level is determined by the number of evaluation level A, evaluation level B, and evaluation level C pipelines. The selection of evaluation level 1 or evaluation level 2 is set in advance by the estimation condition input unit.

[0120] [Regarding the estimation process for pipeline maintenance status] Next, the pipeline maintenance status estimation process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit will be described in detail with reference to Figure 25. Figure 25 is a flowchart showing the pipeline maintenance status estimation process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15. The pipeline maintenance status estimation process is a process that assigns importance levels to the maintenance status for each pipeline ID based on the pipeline deterioration degree estimation process and the pipeline impact evaluation process.

[0121] First, the degree of deterioration (evaluation levels A to D) of each pipeline ID, estimated by the pipeline deterioration estimation process, is obtained (step S60). Obtaining the degree of deterioration per pipeline ID involves reading the deterioration data stored in the maintenance information. Next, the degree of impact (evaluation levels A to D) of each pipeline ID, evaluated by the pipeline impact evaluation process, is obtained (step S61). Obtaining the degree of impact per pipeline ID involves reading the impact data stored in the maintenance information. The importance of the pipeline maintenance status per pipeline ID is estimated from the degree of deterioration (evaluation levels A to D) and impact (evaluation levels A to D) of each pipeline ID, and the estimated importance (evaluation levels A to D) is saved in the maintenance information (step S62).

[0122] This section specifically explains how to estimate the importance of pipeline maintenance status at the pipeline ID level. Figure 26 shows the total number of pipelines at each evaluation level for pipeline IDs, with the degree of pipeline deterioration set on the horizontal axis and the impact of water leakage on the vertical axis. As shown in Figure 26, the degree of pipeline deterioration is set on the horizontal axis and the impact of water leakage on the vertical axis, and each axis is divided into four evaluation levels from A to D. The center positions of the horizontal and vertical axes are set so that they pass through each other. This divides the data into four quadrants with the horizontal and vertical axes as the center.

[0123] It is also possible to read the degree of deterioration and impact from maintenance information for each pipeline ID, and then aggregate the number of pipelines and the total length of pipelines in the corresponding columns of the table shown in Figure 26, and display this information in a table like the one shown in Figure 26. In this way, by displaying the evaluation results of the maintenance information for all pipelines, it is possible to grasp an overview of the overall importance of the laid pipeline network. In the example shown in Figure 26, it can be confirmed that there are 1203 pipelines and a total length of 31.2 km where both the degree of deterioration and impact are evaluated at level A. It is also possible to grasp the proportion of each combination of evaluation levels for deterioration and impact relative to the total length of pipelines.

[0124] Figure 26 shows that the first quadrant, indicated by a dotted line, represents a high degree of pipeline deterioration and a high impact from water leakage; the second quadrant, also indicated by a dotted line, represents a high degree of pipeline deterioration and a low impact from water leakage; the third quadrant, also indicated by a dotted line, represents a low degree of pipeline deterioration and a high impact from water leakage; and the fourth quadrant, also indicated by a dotted line, represents a low degree of pipeline deterioration and a low impact from water leakage.

[0125] For example, it is possible to assign an evaluation level of importance for maintenance information to pipelines in the first quadrant as level A, to pipelines in the second quadrant as level B, to pipelines in the third quadrant as level C, and to pipelines in the fourth quadrant as level D.

[0126] Furthermore, the importance of maintenance information for pipelines belonging to the third quadrant may be assessed as level B, and the importance of maintenance information for pipelines belonging to the second quadrant may be assessed as level C.

[0127] Furthermore, Figure 27 shows an example in which the importance of pipelines 30, categorized into the four quadrants shown in Figure 26, is superimposed on the map 40. This allows the importance of each pipeline to be displayed superimposed on the map, making it possible to visually grasp the pipeline maintenance status in the region.

[0128] [Regarding the display process for pipeline maintenance status] Next, the pipeline maintenance status display process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit will be described in detail with reference to Figure 28. Figure 28 is a flowchart showing the pipeline maintenance status display process by the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit 15. The pipeline maintenance status display process is a process that overlays the importance of pipeline maintenance status at the mesh level onto map information and displays the importance of pipeline maintenance status at the pipeline level.

[0129] The pipeline importance assessment shown in Figure 27 focuses on individual pipelines, and the evaluation results are presented on a pipeline-by-pipe basis. Therefore, there is a risk that the evaluation results for individual pipelines may be scattered across small areas. For example, by dividing the region into mesh units and managing pipelines within each mesh, it becomes possible to efficiently create leak detection plans and pipeline replacement plans.

[0130] The pipeline maintenance status display process first obtains the mesh unit set in the estimation condition input unit 17 (for example, the length of one side is 1 km) (step S70). Next, the importance level of the pipeline maintenance status in the maintenance information for each pipeline ID unit included in the mesh is extracted for each mesh unit, the number of lengths (total length of pipelines) for each evaluation level of importance of the pipeline maintenance status is aggregated, and the evaluation level of importance with the highest proportion is set as the importance level for the mesh unit (step S71).

[0131] Figure 29 is a diagram showing a portion of the pipeline layout diagram divided into 45 mesh units. For each mesh of the pipeline layout diagram, from mesh 1 to mesh 6, the total length of each pipeline ID located within that mesh is aggregated for each importance evaluation level in the maintenance information of the pipeline maintenance status, and the importance evaluation level with the highest proportion is set as the importance evaluation level for the pipeline maintenance status of that mesh.

[0132] Next, the pipeline maintenance status (importance of pipelines) at the mesh level is displayed superimposed on the map information (step S72).

[0133] Figure 30 shows an example of displaying the importance of pipelines at the mesh level, based on pipeline IDs, overlaid on a map using various fill patterns. This allows for an understanding of the situation in a region, as the importance of each pipeline is displayed overlaid on the map. In addition to importance at the mesh level, it is also possible to color-code and overlay the map according to evaluation levels such as deterioration degree and impact at the mesh level.

[0134] As described above, the present invention makes it possible to accurately predict leakage risk from the perspective of deterioration factors, thereby enabling efficient estimation of pipeline conditions. This allows for the consideration of leakage investigation methods and pipeline replacement priorities for each problem point (by factor), and enables the efficient and easy formulation of pipeline maintenance measures. In other words, by analyzing trends for each user (business entity) of the pipeline maintenance information system and considering deterioration factors at the time of evaluation, it becomes possible to provide evaluation results tailored to the specific circumstances of each business entity.

[0135] In other words, according to the present invention, by identifying pipeline aging deterioration factors for pipelines that have exceeded a desired number of years since installation, pipeline aging deterioration factors for pipelines that have not yet exceeded a desired number of years since installation, and pipeline environmental deterioration factors in the most recent desired number of years shorter than the number of years since installation, and by identifying pipeline deterioration factors from the pipeline aging deterioration factors and pipeline environmental deterioration factors, and estimating the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis from the identified pipeline deterioration factors, it becomes possible to accurately predict leakage risk from the perspective of deterioration factors. As a result, it becomes possible to consider leakage investigation methods and pipeline replacement priorities for each problem point (by factor), and pipeline maintenance measures can be formulated efficiently and easily.

[0136] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the most recent number of years must be set to a number shorter than the desired number of years since installation. By setting the most recent number of years to a number shorter than the number of years since installation, it becomes possible to estimate the pipeline maintenance status based on recent environmental information, that is, changes in the environment around the laid pipeline that are likely to have a significant impact on pipeline maintenance. This makes it possible to accurately predict future leakage risks from the perspective of pipeline environmental deterioration factors.

[0137] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the pipeline maintenance status can be superimposed on map information on a pipeline-by-pipe basis and output as visualized information relative to the pipeline laying location. By visualizing the status of the pipelines, the pipeline maintenance status can be easily grasped, enabling efficient and streamlined leak detection planning and pipeline replacement planning.

[0138] Furthermore, according to the present invention, an impact information management unit is provided to manage impact information when a water leak occurs in a pipeline, and it is possible to estimate the pipeline maintenance status taking impact information into account. Therefore, by evaluating not only the risk of water leaks (deterioration factors) but also the degree of impact when a water leak (accident) occurs, it is possible to provide evaluation results that take into account the presence of railway crossings, national and prefectural roads, and disaster relief facilities (hospitals, schools, designated emergency evacuation sites, etc.) that are affected by pipelines with a high risk of accidents.

[0139] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by providing an estimation condition input unit for inputting the usage conditions of pipeline information, environmental information, or impact information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit estimates the pipeline maintenance status, it is possible to provide evaluation results that correspond to the evaluation items that the user (business entity) of the pipeline maintenance information system considers important, thereby enabling the provision of evaluation results that are appropriate to the challenges of each business entity.

[0140] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the region displayed in the visualized information can be divided into multiple districts of a desired number and / or size, and the pipeline maintenance status of the pipelines laid within these districts can be summarized for each district and displayed. As a result, it is possible to present highly accurate pipeline maintenance status for each district, taking into account the pipeline maintenance status of individual pipelines, using visualized information. This makes it easy to grasp the pipeline maintenance status for each district and enables efficient leak detection planning and pipeline replacement planning without waste.

[0141] This invention can be embodied in numerous forms without departing from its essential characteristics. Therefore, it goes without saying that the embodiments described above are purely illustrative and do not limit the present invention.

[0142] Furthermore, the functional block diagram shown in Figure 1 illustrates the functional configuration of the pipeline maintenance information system 1 of the present invention and does not limit the specific implementation form. That is, it is not necessary to implement hardware corresponding to the functional blocks in the figure, and it is certainly possible to have a configuration in which a single processor executes a program to realize the functions of multiple functional units. In addition, some of the functions realized by software in the embodiment may be realized by hardware, and furthermore, some of the functions realized by hardware may be realized by software. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0143] 1. Pipeline Maintenance and Management Information System 5. Map Information Management Department 7 Pipeline Information Management Department 9 Environmental Information Management Department 11 Impact Information Management Department 13 Storage unit (storage device) 15. Pipeline Maintenance Status Estimation Section 17. Estimation Condition Input Section 18 Display 20 Networks 22 External information providing device 25 Operating terminal 30 conduit 40 Maps 45 mesh

Claims

1. A pipeline maintenance information system that estimates the condition of pipelines laid underground, A pipeline information management unit manages pipeline information for the pipeline itself, An environmental information management unit manages environmental information surrounding the laid pipeline that affects the maintenance and management of the pipeline, The system includes a pipeline maintenance status estimation unit that estimates the pipeline maintenance status of the pipeline using the pipeline information and the environmental information, The pipeline maintenance status estimation unit extracts at least one of the pipeline information or the environmental information for the pipeline that has exceeded the desired number of years since installation, and identifies from the leakage history contained in the pipeline information a type of information that constitutes at least one of the pipeline information or the environmental information caused by leakage as a factor in the aging deterioration of the pipeline for the pipeline that has exceeded the said number of years since installation. Extract at least one of the pipeline information or the environmental information for the pipeline that has not yet reached the aforementioned installation period, and identify from the leakage history contained in the pipeline information any type of information constituting at least one of the pipeline information or the environmental information that is caused by leakage as a factor in the aging deterioration of the pipeline for the pipeline that has not yet reached the aforementioned installation period. Extract the pipeline information and environmental information for a desired most recent period shorter than the aforementioned laying period, and identify any type of information constituting the environmental information caused by leakage from the leakage history contained in the pipeline information as a factor in pipeline environmental deterioration. A pipeline maintenance information system characterized by identifying pipeline deterioration factors from the aforementioned pipeline aging deterioration factors and pipeline environmental deterioration factors, and estimating the pipeline maintenance status at the pipeline level from the identified pipeline deterioration factors.

2. The pipeline maintenance information system further includes a map information management unit that manages map information of the area where the pipeline is laid. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 1 is characterized in that it can output information that visualizes the pipeline maintenance status of a pipeline relative to the pipeline's laying location by superimposing the pipeline maintenance status on the map information on a pipeline-by-pipe basis.

3. The pipeline maintenance information system further includes an impact information management unit that manages impact information in the event of a water leak in the pipeline. The pipeline maintenance status estimation unit is characterized in that, when estimating the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis from the pipeline deterioration factors, it extracts the influence information from the influence information management unit on a pipeline-by-pipe basis and enables the estimation of the pipeline maintenance status on a pipeline-by-pipe basis by taking said influence information into account, as described in claim 1.

4. The pipeline maintenance information system further includes an estimation condition input unit for inputting the usage conditions of the pipeline information, environmental information, or impact information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit estimates the pipeline maintenance status. The pipeline maintenance status estimation unit uses the number of years since installation input from the estimation condition input unit to identify any of the aforementioned type information as a factor in the deterioration of the pipeline over time for pipelines that have exceeded the said number of years since installation. Using the number of years of installation input from the estimation condition input unit, for the pipelines that have not yet reached the said number of years of installation, one of the aforementioned type information is identified as a factor in the deterioration of the pipeline over time. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 3, characterized in that it identifies any of the aforementioned type information as a factor in the deterioration of the pipeline environment using the most recent year number input from the estimation condition input unit.

5. The pipeline maintenance information system further includes an estimation condition input unit for inputting the usage conditions of the pipeline information, environmental information, or impact information when the pipeline maintenance status estimation unit estimates the pipeline maintenance status. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 3, characterized in that, via the estimation condition input unit, it is possible to set the weighting of the type information constituting the pipeline information, environmental information, or influence information in determining the pipeline aging deterioration factors, the pipeline environmental deterioration factors, or the pipeline deterioration factors.

6. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 1, characterized in that the pipeline information includes at least information specifying the location, the number of years elapsed since installation, and a leakage history, linked to the identification information of the pipeline on a pipeline-by-pipe basis, and can also include the material of the pipeline or the location of valves.

7. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 1, characterized in that the environmental information includes at least one of the type of surface geology or the type of land use, which is linked to the pipeline identification information or the map information.

8. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 3, characterized in that the impact information includes at least one of the following, linked to the pipeline identification information or map information: presence or absence of railways, whether the pipeline falls under an important category, population size, presence or absence of active faults, possibility of liquefaction, presence or absence of facilities for use during disasters, presence or absence of important roads, and presence or absence of industrial areas.

9. The pipeline maintenance information system according to claim 2, characterized in that, with respect to the visualized information, the region displayed in the visualized information is divided into a number and / or size of districts, the pipeline maintenance status of the pipelines laid within each district is summarized for each district, and the pipeline maintenance status is displayed on a district basis.

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