World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009: Great Rivers © 2009 ASCE 251

Calibration of Water Distribution Network Models as a Tool for Detecting

Missing and Erroneous Cadastral and Hydraulic Information

Juan G. Saldarriaga1, Susana Ochoa2, Daniel Rodríguez2 and César M. Jurado2

1
Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Universidad de los
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Andes. Director, Water Distribution and Sewer Systems Research Center – CIACUA.
Carrera 1 este No. 19 A – 40, Bogotá – Colombia; PH: (57 1) 339 49 49; email:
jsaldarr@uniandes.edu.co
2
Researcher, Water Distribution and Sewer Systems Research Center – CIACUA.
Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Universidad de los Andes,
Carrera 1 este No. 19 A – 40, Bogotá – Colombia; PH: (57 1) 339 49 49; email:
s.ochoa24@uniandes.edu.co, d.rodriguez49@egresados.uniandes.edu.co
c-jurado@uniandes.edu.co.

Abstract
In the first place, this paper presents an examination of the effects of missing
cadastral information on the modeling and calibration of water distribution networks
(WDN). For this purpose, cadastral errors were artificially introduced to the hydraulic
models of the WDN of three cities of the province of Valle del Cauca (Colombia),
with population in the range of 15,000-30,000 inhabitants. The cadastral errors were
introduced by eliminating some pipes from the unaltered models using the resilience
index as selection criterion. From this examination, typical responses observed during
the calibration process were associated to specific topological and hydraulic errors
and it was also noted that there is a direct relation between the resilience index and
the effect of the removal of a certain pipe on the hydraulic performance of the model.
In the second place, after identifying the effects of missing and erroneous cadastral
and hydraulic information on the calibration of WDN models, the inverse procedure
was carried out: the calibration process was used as a tool for detecting missing and
erroneous cadastral and hydraulic information. This methodology was successfully
applied to the WDN of Sector Estadio (250,000 inhabitants), which is a complex area
of the city of Bucaramanga (Colombia); through the calibration of this WDN, errors
such as failing water meters, pipes and valves that existed in the real system but were
not in the model, significant errors in pipe diameters in the model, among others,
were identified.

1. Introduction

In order to optimize the operation of water distribution networks (WDN) and make
effective decisions regarding their maintenance, rehabilitation, and enlargement,
among other issues, good-quality calibrated models are necessary. The calibration of
a WDN model consists of adjusting the model input parameters in such a way that
model performance matches the measured system performance over a wide range of
operating conditions (Walski et al, 2001).

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To carry out the calibration of a WDN, complete cadastral information, as well as

measurements of discharge at the entrance of the system, of water consumption and
pressure at demand nodes are required. These measurements must cover a rather long
time period, so that the system performance over a representative range of operating
conditions is known. During the calibration process, several scenarios in which
different values are given to each input parameter are created and, for each scenario,
extended period hydraulic simulations are carried out; the calibration process finishes
when a scenario whose performance reasonably agrees with measured system
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performance is found.

Although it may sound like a simple procedure, in many cases, especially in

developing countries, the cadastral information is incomplete or erroneous, making
the calibration process complicated and impeding the achievement of a good-quality
hydraulic model. This is the reason why it is necessary to have a tool, within the
calibration process, with which cadastral misinformation can be detected. In view of
this necessity, this paper presents an analysis of the effects of missing and erroneous
cadastral information on the hydraulic simulation and calibration of WDN models.
Furthermore, from the results obtained in this analysis, a methodology is proposed
which uses the calibration of WDN as a tool for detecting missing and erroneous
cadastral and hydraulic information.

2. Theoretical background

2.1. Calibration methodology (Jurado and Saldarriaga, 2007)

As mentioned before, the calibration of a WDN model consists in adjusting the
parameters that rule its hydraulic behavior. The calibration parameters taken into
account by the methodology developed by the authors (Water Distribution and Sewer
Systems Research Center – CIACUA) can be divided into hydraulic and topological
ones. Among the hydraulic parameters are the unknown demands and node’s emitters
(i. e. emitters’ coefficients and exponents), whereas among the topological ones are
the pipes’ internal diameters, absolute roughness, and minor losses. The calibration
methodology is summarized in Figure 1.

In Figure 1, Initial Model corresponds to the first hydraulic-digital model which is

obtained after processing and digitalizing all the topological and consumption
information provided by the WDN operator. It contains nominal diameters,
theoretical roughness coefficients, and does not take into account minor losses and
Non-Revenue Water (NRW) records; thus, the hydraulic simulations carried out with
this Initial Model do not match the pressure and discharge field measurements.

Base Line 1 is obtained by assigning the real internal diameters (according to the
manufacturer’s catalogues) to all pipes and also by assigning minor losses per meter
of pipeline to each pipe of the model (for this purpose, typical values of minor losses
per meter that have been found in previous calibrations are used). The minor losses
To carry out the next steps of the methodology, the WDN must be first divided into
groups or sectors with similar hydraulic, topologic and socioeconomic characteristics.

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Start

Initial Model

Assignation of valves Assignation of real

and joins losses internal diameters

Base Line 1

Analysis by unknown Analysis by Mass

demands emitters Calibration
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Base Line 2

Analysis by Analysis by Analysis by Energy

minor losses roughness diameters Calibration

No Do simulated mass and

energy curves match the
measured ones?

Yes

Unified Model

End
Figure 1. Calibration algorithm (CIACUA)

The Analysis by unknown demands is performed by creating several scenarios in

which different multiplying factors are applied to the base demand of each group of
nodes; this is done with the purpose of calibrating the system’s mass (i. e. to balance
the mass that goes into the system and the mass that goes out of it). With this
analysis, it is possible to detect areas with high commercial losses (unaccounted
demands, unknown demands, and/or illegal connections). In the Analysis by emitters,
scenarios are created in which different values of the emitter’s coefficient are
assigned to the nodes of each group or sector; this analysis intends to simulate the
technical losses that take place in the real system and to adjust the discharges and
pressures of the WDN model to the measured ones. Base Line 2 is obtained after
compiling the results achieved from the two previous independent analyses (i. e.
Analysis by unknown demands and Analysis by emitters). In Base Line 2 the mass
curves of the model must coincide with the measured ones and a good approximation
to the measured pressure or energy curves must be achieved. Afterwards, a sensibility
analysis of the hydraulic variables (i. e. pipe’s internal diameters, absolute roughness,
and minor losses coefficients) is carried out: scenarios in which different values of
these variables are assigned to the pipes of each group or sector are created. The
Analysis by minor losses evaluates the effect of fittings and other accessories, which
generate minor energy losses, on the hydraulic behavior of the system. In the Analysis
by roughness and in the Analysis by diameters, slight variations of the pipes’ absolute
roughness and internal diameter are carried out taking into account the pipes’ material
and medium flow velocity; the effects of such variations on the hydraulic behavior of
the system are analyzed. Lastly, the Unified Model is created by compiling and
iteratively adjusting the results obtained from the previous analyses: given that the
adjustments made in the analyses by minor losses, roughness and diameters may

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affect the mass curves that had been previously calibrated through the analyses by
unknown demands and emitters, an iterative process in which small adjustments are
made to all these variables (i. e. unknown demands, emitter’s coefficients, minor
losses per meter, absolute roughness, and pipes’ internal diameters) must be carried
out until the simulated curves of discharge and pressure coincide with the measured
ones. Thus, the Unified Model corresponds to the calibrated model.

2.2. Resilience index (Ir)

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The concept of network resilience was introduced by Ezio Todini in 2000; he defined
it as “… the capability in the system to allow to overcome local failures and to
guarantee the distribution of water to users…”. The resilience index (Ir) is an
indicator of the network resilience; it is a measurement of the system vulnerability of
letting some nodes without service in the occurrence of a failure (Saldarriaga et
al., 2007). In order to describe the concept of network resilience, Tondini introduced
the concept of power: the total power of a WDN ( Ptot ) is defined as the sum of the
power that is supplied by reservoirs and the power that is supplied by pumps:

nr np

Ptot = γ ∑ Qi H i* + ∑ Ppi
i =1 i =1

where Qi and H i* correspond to the flow and piezometric pressure of each of the nr
entrance reservoirs and Ppi is the power supplied by each of the n p pumps. The total
power of the system can also be expressed as the sum of the power that is dissipated
by means of friction and because of the existence of leaks ( Pdis ), plus the power that
is delivered at demand nodes ( Pout ), as shown in the following equation:

Ptot = Pdis + Pout (1)

The power that is delivered at consumption nodes ( Pout ) can be classified in two
obj
ways: as the objective delivered power ( Pout ), which is generated when all
consumption nodes have the minimum service pressure; and as the real delivered
real obj
power ( Pout ), which takes place under real service pressure conditions. Pout and
real
Pout are estimated as shown:

∑q h ∑q h
nn nn
P obj
out =γ i
*
i , min Preal
out =γ *
i i
i =1 i =1
* *
where qi , h and h
i i , min correspond to the flow, real piezometric pressure, and
minimum required piezometric pressure in each of the nn consumption nodes of the
system. From equation 1: Pdis = Ptot − Pout . From this equation and given Pout
obj
and
real
Pout , it is possible to define mathematical expressions to estimate the optimum and
real dissipated power:

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Pdisobj = Ptot − Pout

obj
Pdisreal = Ptot − Pout
real

The Ir of a WDN is defined as a function of the relationship between the objective

dissipated power ( Pdisobj ) and the real dissipated power ( Pdisreal ):

Pdisreal
Ir = 1−
Pdisobj
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When substituting in this equation the terms previously described, a general equation
for the Ir is obtained:

∑ q (h )
nn

i
*
i − hi*,min
Ir = i =1
np
⎡ nr ⎤ nn

∑ *
⎢ Qi H i + ∑ Ppi ⎥ − ∑ qi hi*,min
⎣ i =1 i =1 ⎦ i =1

3. Resilience Index vs. impact of the removal of a certain pipe on the hydraulic
behavior of the WDN model

As mentioned above, with the aim of evaluating the effects of missing cadastral
information on the modeling and calibration of WDN, cadastral errors were
artificially introduced to the hydraulic models of the WDN of three cities of the
province of Valle del Cauca (Colombia). The cadastral errors were introduced by
eliminating some pipes from the unaltered models using the resilience index (Ir) as
selection criterion. In order to use the Ir as indicator or selection criterion, an analysis
was first conducted to determine the relationship between the effect of the removal of
a certain pipe on the Ir and on the hydraulic behavior of the system. The first step of
this analysis was to calculate the hydraulics of the system without cadastral errors, to
estimate its Ir, and to identify the pipes that could be removed without letting any
consumption node disconnected. From now on, these pipes will be referred to as
“removable pipes”. Subsequently, one at a time, each of the removable pipes was
removed from the unaltered model; for each of the models without a certain
removable pipe, the system hydraulics and the Ir were calculated. With this
information, the difference between the Ir of the unaltered model and the Ir of the
model without one removable pipe was calculated; this difference will be referred to
as ∆Ir. Besides, the pressure curves of the models without one removable pipe were
estimated and compared against those of the unaltered model or prototype. Thus, it
was possible to analyze the relationship between the change on the resilience index
(∆Ir) and the capacity of the model without one removable pipe to adequately
reproduce the hydraulics of the prototype. This analysis was carried out for the WDN
of three cities of the province of Valle del Cauca (Colombia): La Cumbre, Andalucía
and Candelaria, which have varied topography and a population in the range of
15,000-30,000 inhabitants. For the three case studies, similar results were obtained.
Next, the results found for the WDN of Andalucía are presented. In this network, 190

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of the total of 360 pipes were identified as removable ones. Thus, 190 models were
created in which one single pipe was removed. For each of these models, the pressure
time series (i. e. values of pressure at different times of the day) at each of its nodes
were compared to those of the nodes of the prototype; for every value of pressure at a
certain node and time, a relative error was estimated as follows:

Pij unaltered − Pij mod ified

Relative Error in Pressureij = ∗ 100 %
Pij unaltered
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where i corresponds to the time of the day and j to the node of the system for which
the relative error in pressure is calculated; the subindex “unaltered” refers to the
pressure in the prototype or complete model and the subindex “modified” refers to
the model without one removable pipe. In this case, the pressure at each node was
calculated every 15 minutes. After estimating the relative error for each node at each
time of the day, the average relative error was calculated. Figure 2 illustrates the
relationship between the ∆Ir caused by the removal of a certain pipe and the average
relative error in pressure observed in the model without that pipe.

) 1.2%
%
(
er 1.0%
us
se 0.8%
rP
inr 0.6%
or
rE 0.4%
ev
it 0.2%
al
eR 0.0%
0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% 5.0% 6.0% 7.0%
Δ Ir (%)

Figure 2. Change on the resilience index (∆Ir) vs. relative error in pressure
caused by the removal of a certain pipe from the model.

It can be noted that, in general, as the ∆Ir increases, the relative error in pressure also
increases; it means that, when the removal of a pipe generates a great change on the
resilience index of the network, the model without that pipe cannot accurately
reproduce the hydraulic behavior of the prototype. Likewise, if a pipe that has a little
impact on the resilience index of the network is removed, it does not affect in a
significant manner its hydraulic behavior and the reduced model can adequately
reproduce the hydraulics of the prototype.

4. Effects of cadastral misinformation on the calibration of WDN models

Normally, in the application of the calibration methodology described above (see

Figure 1), a complete knowledge of the WDN topology is assumed. Therefore, the
range of variation of the pipes’ internal diameters during the calibration process is
very narrow: in this process, the magnitude of the internal diameters is slightly varied

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with the purpose of accounting only for pipe wall erosion or for biofilm growth.
Nonetheless, as will be next explained, the only way in which a model with major
cadastral errors can be calibrated is by significantly increasing the diameters of the
pipes which are close to the missing element or cadastral error; this increase in the
diameters gets to compensate the greater energy losses caused by the higher velocities
that take place in adjacent pipes when the cadastral error is introduced. For this
reason, the calibration algorithm was modified in such a way that greater variations in
pipes’ internal diameters were allowed during the calibration process.
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Case Study: La Cumbre’s WDN model (CIACUA, 2006)

To illustrate the effects of cadastral misinformation on the calibration of WDN
models, the results obtained for the calibration of a hydraulic model of La Cumbre’s
WDN in which an important cadastral error was introduced are presented. In this
model, the pipe with the highest impact on the system’s Ir was removed (the ∆Ir
caused by its removal is 13.09%), causing the greatest effect on the hydraulic
behavior of the WDN model. It is worth mentioning that similar results were obtained
for the calibration of Candelaria’s and Andalucía’s WDN models.

Initial Model and Base Line 1: These models were set up by digitalizing the existing
topological and consumption information and by assigning real internal diameters and
minor losses coefficients according to the manufacturer’s catalogues and existing
statistical information; these actions correspond to the first Scenario of Table 1.
Moreover, in this phase, the mentioned cadastral error was artificially introduced and
the network was divided into 6 groups according to the hydraulic, topologic and
socioeconomic characteristics of each area of the WDN.

Base Line 2: In order to obtain the Base Line 2 model, 13 scenarios were analyzed in
which different multiplying factors were applied to the base demands of each group
of nodes and different values of the emitter’s coefficient were assigned. By doing
this, it was possible to evaluate the sensibility of the WDN to the presence of leaks
and unknown demands. The 13 scenarios that were analyzed and the first scenario, in
which real internal diameters and minor losses were assigned, are shown in Table 1.
From the creation and analysis of these scenarios, a model was achieved in which the
discharge or mass curves coincide almost perfectly with the measured curves.
Besides, the obtained model (Base Line 2) can reproduce, with an acceptable degree
of accuracy, the pressure or energy curves at one of the pressure measuring points
(Element 20); in the other measuring points (e. g. Element 204), the cadastral error
(i. e. the removed pipe) has a sever effect on their energetic behavior and the
simulated curve is below the measured one. These results are illustrated in Figure 3.

Subsequently, in order to calibrate the energy of the WDN and adjust the simulated
pressure curves to the measured ones, the Analysis by diameters is performed.

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DISCHARGE - ELEMENT 134 PRESSURE - ELEMENT 204 PRESSURE - ELEMENT 20

16 ). 50 ). 140
)s c. c.
(lp
40 135
12 .w .w
ger 8
(m 30
er 20
(m130
er 125
hac u
ss 10 us
isD 4
er se120
P 0 rP
0 115
00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00
Time of the day (h) Time of the day (h) Time of the day (h)
MEASURED SIMULATED MEASURED SIMULATED MEASURED SIMULATED
Figure 3. Discharge and pressure curves - Scenarios 1-14, Base Line 2, La
Cumbre
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Table 1. Scenarios 1-14. Base Line 2, La Cumbre

Scenario Actions or variations
PVC Pipes - km of 0.04 per meter
AC Pipes - km of 0.05 per meter
Scenario 1 Real Internal Diameter PVC and Steel
Assignation of km to known valves
Assignation of km of 0.2 to each valve
Nodes SEL 1 - Demand*1.2
Nodes Group 1 - Demand *0.8
Scenario 2 Nodes Group 2 - Demand *3.6
Nodes Group 3 - Demand *1.1
Nodes Group 4 - Demand *1.2
Nodes Group 3 SEL 1 -- Demand *2.3
Scenario 3
Nodes Group 6 SEL 1 - Demand *0.7
High Pressure - Emitter Coefficient = 0.0002
Scenario 4 Medium Pressure - Emitter Coefficient = 0.0001
Low Pressure - Emitter Coefficient = 0.000001
SEL 1 - Emitter Coefficient *1.25
Scenario 5 Steel Pipes - Emitter Coefficient *1.25
Very high pressure - Emitter Coefficient *5
Scenario 6 Nodes Group 1 - Demand *0.5
Scenario 7 Nodes Group 2 - Demand *1
Scenario 8 Nodes Group 3 - Demand *0.8
Scenario 9 Nodes Group 4 - Demand *0.8
Scenario 10 Nodes Group 4 - Demand *1
Scenario 11 Nodes Group 4 - Demand *1.1
Scenario 12 Nodes Group 4 - Demand *1.05
Scenario 13 Nodes Group 3 - Demand *1.3
Scenario 14 Nodes Group 3 - Demand *1.35
SEL = Socioeconomic Level

Analysis by diameters: In this analysis, 5 scenarios were created in which different

multiplying factors were applied to the internal diameters of the pipes of each group;
these scenarios are shown in Table 2. Such variations in the internal diameters were
performed with the purpose of calibrating the pressure curves, without modifying the
behavior of the discharge curve, which was already calibrated in Base Line 2. This
analysis showed that the increase of the internal diameters of the pipes of groups 2
and 5, which are the closest ones to the error, was the only action capable of raising
the simulated pressure curves and bringing them close to the measured ones. Besides,
it was found that the simulated discharge curves would remain close to the measured
ones after applying the mentioned multiplying factors to the internal diameters.

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Table 2. Scenarios 15-19. Analysis by diameters, La Cumbre.

Scenarios Actions or variations
Scenario 15 Group 1 - Diameters*2
Scenario 16 Group 2 - Diameters *2
Scenario 17 Group 3 - Diameters *2
Scenario 18 Group 4 - Diameters *2
Scenario 19 Group 5 - Diameters *2

Unified model: After determining that the simulated pressure curves were sensitive to
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the increase of the internal diameters in groups 2 and 5, more scenarios in which
different multiplying factors were applied to the internal diameters of the pipes of
these two groups were created in order to complete the calibration process. These
scenarios are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Scenario 20-25, Unified model. La Cumbre.

Scenario Actions or Variation
Scenario 20 Group 5 - Diameters*2.2
Scenario 21 Group 5 - Diameters *2.4
Scenario 22 Group 5 - Diameters *2.7
Group 2 - Diameters *0.9
Scenario 23
Group 5 - Diameters *2.7
Group 2 - Diameters *0.95
Scenario 24
Group 5 - Diameters *2.7
Group 2 - Diameters *0.933
Scenario 25
Group 5 - Diameters *2.7

It was found that the 25th scenario, in which the diameters of group 2 were multiplied
by 0.933 and the diameters of group 5 (where the error was located) were multiplied
by 2.7, generated a model that represents in a very precise way the hydraulic behavior
(i. e. mass and energy curves) of the unaltered system. These results are shown in
Figure 4.

DISCHARGE - ELEMENT 134 PRESSURE - ELEMENT 204 PRESSURE - ELEMENT 20

)s 16 .)c 50 .)c 136
. 48 . 132
lp( 12 w
. w
.
eg m
( 46 m
( 128
ra 8
hc reu 44 reu124
is 4 ss 42 ss 120
D er er
0 40P 116P
00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00
Time of the day (h) Time of the day (h) Time of the day (h)
MEASURED SIMULATED MEASURED SIMULATED MEASURED SIMULATED
Figure 4. Discharge and pressure curves - Scenarios 20-25, Unified Model, La
Cumbre.

It can be seen that with these adjustments, it was possible to generate a calibrated
model with the presence of a significant cadastral error. Besides, it can be noted that
the calibration methodology assigns greater diameters in the area where the error is
located. This can be explained by the fact that, when there is an important cadastral
error, such as a missing relevant pipe, the water has to flow greater distances to
supply the demands throughout the network, which generates greater energy losses;
the higher energy losses caused by larger distances of flow are compensated by
assigning greater diameters to the pipes around the cadastral error, which reduces the

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friction losses and makes it possible to calibrate the energy in the WDN model.
Knowing that greater diameters are assigned to the pipes that are close to the error, it
is possible to identify the areas with significant cadastral errors through the
calibration process.

5. Calibration as a tool for detecting missing and erroneous cadastral and

hydraulic information
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5.1. Case study: Sector Estadio (CIACUA, 2007)

Sector Estadio is a hydraulic zone of the city of Bucaramanga (Colombia); it has
250,000 inhabitants and 27,000 subscribers from different socioeconomic levels. The
WDN of Sector Estadio is made up of 190 km of pipeline with diameters ranging
from 25 mm (1”) to 600 mm (24”) and pipes made of different materials, like PVC,
steel, galvanized iron, among others. For this WDN, 4 discharge meters were used in
order to monitor the system’s hydraulic behavior and obtain the discharge curves that
are required for the calibration process. One of the discharge meters was located at
the entrance of the WDN, right after the supply tank; two other ones were placed each
at one end of the hydraulic sector, at points where water is supplied to two other
sectors of the city (sectors Bienestar and Regadero); and the other one was located at
a strategic point of the network called Glorieta de San Francisco. The location of the
discharge measuring stations is shown in Figure 5. On the other hand, pressure was
measured at 21 measuring stations spread all over the hydraulic sector. Besides, water
consumption of each subscriber was also monitored.

5.2. Division of the hydraulic model into groups

Before carrying out the calibration process, Sector Estadio’s WDN model was
divided into 23 groups according to the hydraulic, topologic and socioeconomic
characteristics of each area of the WDN. This division is shown in Figure 6.

Figure 5. Location of discharge Figure 6. Division of Sector

measuring stations, Sector Estadio. Estadio’s WDN model into groups.

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5.3. Calibration Results

During the calibration process, several scenarios were analyzed. Table 4 shows the
multiplying factors and values that were applied to the base demands, emitter
coefficients and minor losses coefficients of each of the groups into which the
network had been previously divided in order to obtain a calibrated model.

Table 4. Multiplying factors and values of base demands, emitter coefficients

and minor losses coefficients.
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Multiplying Factors of Base Demands Emitter Coefficients Minor Losses Coefficients

Sector Value Sector Value Sector Value
Group 11 (G11) 1.5 Group 7 (G7) 0.017 Group 1 (G1) 2
Group 11 (G11) 1.5 Group 1 (G1) 0.009 Group 4 (G4) 15
Group 12 (G12) 3 Bienestar 0.1 Group 5 (G5) 1
Group 15 (G15) 1.6 Regadero 0.1 Group 6 (G6) 40
Group 15 (G15) 2 Group 7 (G7) 20
Group 17 (G17) 2.5 Group 9 (G9) 10
Group 20 (G20) 1.5 Group 12 (G12) 15
Group 10 (G10) 7 Group 14 (G14) 1
Group 4 (G4) 1.5 Group 15 (G15) 1
Bienestar 1.2 Group 16 (G16) 1
Regadero 1.2 Group 17 (G17) 5
Group 18 (G18) 1
Group 19 (G19) 1

During the analysis by diameters, different multiplying factors were applied to each
internal diameter depending on the pipe material and flow velocity. However, the
multiplying factors with which a calibrated model was obtained were very small,
which indicated that there were no important pipes missing in the model and that
there were not significant errors in pipes’ diameters either.

The calibration of this WDN model was conducted with data corresponding to high
pressure regime; after the model had been calibrated, its performance was validated
against data collected during medium and low pressure regimes. The performance of
the calibrated model under the three pressure regimes is shown in Figure 7.

HIGH PRESSURE REGIME MEDIUM PRESSURE REGIME LOW PRESSURE REGIME

)s 700 )s 700 )s 700
pl 600 p pl 600
( (l 600 (
ger 500 ger 500 ger 500
ah 400 ah 400 ah 400
cs cs cs
i 300 i 300 i 300
D D D
200 200 200
00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00 00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00
Time of the day (h) Time of the day (h) Time of the day (h)
MEASURED SIMULATED MEASURED SIMULATED MEASURED SIMULATED
Figure 7. Performance of the Sector Estadio’s calibrated model under high,
medium and low pressure regimes.

5.4. Cadastral and hydraulic errors detected through the calibration process
Through the calibration process of Sector Estadio’s WDN model, two important
errors were found: an uncalibrated discharge meter at the entrance of the system and
the existence of an unknown connection between two neighborhoods. Next, the way
in which these errors were detected is described.

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Uncalibrated discharge meter at the entrance of the system

During the calibration of the hydraulic model, it was found that the only way in
which it was possible to adjust the simulated discharge curves (i. e. mass curves) to
the measured ones was by applying an extremely high multiplying factor to the base
demands of the nodes of Group 10: the multiplying factor with which the mass curves
could be calibrated was 7.0 (see Table 4), which is a value outside of the normal
range of variation of these multiplying factors. This abnormality suggested that there
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was an error close to Group 10; knowing this, an exhaustive search (both in the field
and in the mathematical model) was conducted. From the field inspections, it was
found that the cause of the problem was that the discharge meter located at the
entrance of the system (at the exit of the supplying tank) was uncalibrated; this
measuring device was overestimating the water discharges in approximately 45 l/s.
The way in which the calibration process managed to balance the mass even with this
error in discharge measurements, which caused an excess of water to enter the
system, was by taking the water surplus out of the network in the area which was
closest to the entrance (i. e. Group 10). After calibrating the discharge meter and
producing new measured discharge curves, it was possible to eliminate the enormous
multiplying factor that had been previously assigned to the base demands of the
nodes of Group 10.

Existence of an unknown connection between two neighborhoods: Bosque Norte

Alto and Villa Mercedes
When the calibrated model was being validated using data from the medium pressure
regime, it was found that the model performance did not agree with the measured
system performance. As shown in Figure 8, pressure measurements taken at
measuring station F23, only match the simulated pressure between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
After a detailed analysis, it was found that the only fact that could explain the
measured behavior of the pressure at measuring station F23 was the existence of an
unreported connection between the networks of Villa Mercedes and Bosque Norte
neighborhood. In order to prove this hypothesis, the WDN operator conducted a
campaign to look for the unreported connection in the field, finding the connection
shown in Figure 9.

). 85
.c 75
.w
(m 65
er 55
us 45
se
rP 35
25
00:00 04:00 08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00
Time of the day (h)
MEASURED SIMULATED
Figure 8. Simulated vs. Measured Figure 9. Unreported connection
pressure at measuring station F23. between Villa Mercedes and Bosque
Bajo neighborhoods.

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 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009: Great Rivers © 2009 ASCE 263

6. Conclusions

- The change generated by the removal of a certain pipe on the resilience index of a
WDN (∆Ir) has an inverse relationship with the capability of the reduced model
(i. e. model without that pipe) to accurately simulate the hydraulic behavior of the
unaltered system.
- The calibration methodology proposed herein allows to obtain a calibrated model
even when there is a significant cadastral or hydraulic error in it and also makes it
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possible to identify the area where the error is located.

- When a relevant pipe is missing on the hydraulic model of a WDN, the
calibration methodology gets to compensate the greater energy losses generated
by the absence of the pipe by assigning greater diameters to the pipes that are
close to the missing one; knowing this, it is possible to use the calibration
methodology as a tool for detecting significant cadastral errors as like this one.
- In the same way, when there is an uncalibrated or failing discharge measuring
device, the calibration methodology compensates this error in the mass of the
system by applying extremely high multiplying factors to the base demands of the
nodes which are close to the failing device. Thus, the calibration methodology
constitutes a tool for detecting this kind of hydraulic errors.
- After identifying the effects of missing and erroneous cadastral and hydraulic
information on the calibration of WDN models, the inverse procedure could be
carried out: the calibration methodology proved to be an effective tool for
detecting missing and erroneous cadastral and hydraulic information in WDN
models.

7. References

CIACUA. (2006). Design and Implementation of a Strategic Management Plan for

the Water Distribution Networks of the Cities of Andalucía, Ansermanuevo,
Bolívar, Bugalagrande, Candelaria, Ginebra, Guacarí, La Cumbre y Toro.
Universidad de Los Andes - ACUAVALLE, Colombia.
CIACUA. (2007). Final Report of the Optimum Pressure Surface Project – Water
Distribution Network of Sector Estadio, Bucaramanga. Universidad de los
Andes – Acueducto Metropolitano de Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Jurado, C. M. and Saldarriaga, J. G. (2007). Water Distribution Networks Calibration
under Leaks Environment - Study Cases. Proceedings of the World
Environmental & Water Resources Congress 2007, Tampa, USA.
Saldarriaga, J., Moreno, M., Romero, N., and Cortés, O. (2008). Prioritized
rehabilitation of water distribution networks using dissipated power concept to
reduce non-revenue water. Proceedings of the World Environmental & Water
Resources Congress 2008, Honolulu, USA.
Todini, E. (2000). Looped water distribution networks design using a resilience index
based heuristic approach. Urban Water, 2(3), 115-122.
Walski, T. M., Chase, D. V, and Savic, D. A. (2001). Water Distribution Modeling.
Waterbury, USA: Haestad.

World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009