Valve Placement

A water distribution network is a complex system that includes a main component to transport water and a water distribution component, that brings the water to the users.

When designing a water distribution network, one of the steps is designing the isolation system: in case a pipe has to be repaired (e.g., because of a break), a part of the network has to be disconnected from the rest of the network, in order to allow workers to fix the broken pipe. The isolation system consists of a set of isolation valves, that are placed in the pipes of the network. Once closed, the isolation valve blocks the flow of water through the valve itself.

The group developed algorithms to find the optimal placement of the isolation system, considering both the number of valves and the disruption for users:

• A CLP(FD) solver for the valve placement problem
• An ASP solver for the valve placement problem

Currently we are developing new hybrid methods that integrate answer set programming and metaheursistics in order to solve larger instances of the problem.