Automated Pipe Replacement Planning System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water utility companies face challenges in accurately prioritizing the replacement of underground pipes due to limited resources and inefficient manual replacement planning methods, leading to wasteful spending and inconsistent results.
Innovation Solution
An automated system and method for planning asset management projects that utilize a computer system to calculate and prioritize pipe replacement based on risk of failure values, including likelihood and consequence of failure, to generate optimized project plans for networks of interconnected assets such as water pipes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual review and pattern picking methods are used to plan pipe replacement projects, then human judgment and flexibility are applied, but the process becomes painstakingly tedious and leads to inconsistent and inaccurate results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical review process with an automated computer-based system that uses algorithms to analyze pipe segment data, calculate risk scores, and generate replacement projects. This substitution eliminates the tedious manual work while maintaining systematic evaluation through automated computation of failure risks and optimization of project configurations.
2Device complexity
If simplified models are used for pipe replacement planning, then the planning process becomes easier and faster, but the accuracy of replacement priorities decreases leading to wasteful spending
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sophisticated parameter-based risk scoring that incorporates multiple factors including pipe age, material, location, failure history, and environmental conditions. By systematically evaluating and weighting these parameters, the system achieves high accuracy in prioritizing replacements without requiring overly complex manual analysis, thus resolving the trade-off between model complexity and precision.
3Device complexity
If pipe segments are evaluated using only color codes or simple scores, then the evaluation process becomes simpler, but the differentiation between risk levels becomes insufficient for optimal project planning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the risk evaluation into multiple hierarchical levels: individual pipe segment risk scores, block-level aggregations, and project-level optimizations. This multi-level segmentation allows detailed differentiation of risk levels while organizing the complexity into manageable components, enabling precise prioritization without overwhelming complexity in the evaluation system.
4Reliability
If all expired pipe is targeted for replacement, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but limited budgets force replacement of pipe that still has useful life remaining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality assessment by evaluating each pipe segment's actual condition and remaining service life rather than applying a blanket replacement policy to all expired pipe. The system identifies and prioritizes specific high-risk segments for replacement while deferring replacement of lower-risk segments, thereby optimizing budget allocation to address the most critical reliability issues first.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for automated or computer assisted planning of pipe replacement projects includes searching a database of pipe segments each having assigned or calculated failure risk parameters. The searching algorithm looks for connected pipe segments falling within a customer's specified project size and identifies potential projects having a relatively high combined high failure risk.