International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
Outputs and recommendations from the Baltic Sea-basin Checkpoint WorkshopEMODnet
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Jun She, EMODnet Baltic Sea Checkpoint and senior researcher at the Danish Metereological Institute, presents the main outputs and recommendations from the Baltic Sea-basin Checkpoint Workshop held on the 14th of February 2017, in Brussels during the EMODnet stakeholder conference.
Drought monitoring, Precipitation statistics, and water balance with freely a...AngelosAlamanos
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The aim of this study is to showcase and discuss these new technologies for hydrometeorological studies. Six of NASA’s web-repositories that can be used to freely download and
visualise such spatial and/or time-series factors are listed and explained with examples for Ireland: ways
to access hydrological, meteorological, soil, vegetation and socio-economic data are shown, and
estimations of various precipitations statistics, anomalies, and water balance are presented for monthly
and seasonal analyses. The advantages, disadvantages and limitations of the satellite datasets are
discussed to provide useful recommendations about their proper use, based on purpose, scale, precision,
time requirement, and modelling-expansion criteria.
The Development of a Catchment Management Modelling System for the Googong Re...GavanThomas
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A scenario assessment model to assist the end-user in determining priorities for a series of agreed management prescriptions that can be enacted through controls on existing landuse
Wetland Flood Reduction - Distribution of Wetland Features and Applicability ...Robert Muir
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This presentation was prepared to advise Green Communities Canada on the applicability of green infrastructure for flood risk reduction as part of the Ontario Urban Flooding Collaborative. It includes a review of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation's Laurel Creek watershed assessment (a case study in their 2017 report "When the Big Storms Hit: The Role of Wetlands to Limit Urban and Rural Flood Damage". The review suggests that the ICCA case study is atypical for both urban and rural areas in Ontario, meaning that opportunities for flood storage and damage reduction are more limited than suggested.
This study aims to provide a reference for the pipeline construction
cost, by analysing individual pipeline cost components with historical pipeline
cost data. Cost data of 412 pipelines recorded between 1992 and 2008 in the
Oil and Gas Journal are collected and adjusted to 2008 dollars with the
chemical engineering plant cost index (CEPCI). The distribution and share of
these 412 pipeline cost components are assessed based on pipeline diameter,
pipeline length, pipeline capacity, the year of completion, locations of
pipelines. The share of material and labour cost dominates the pipeline
construction cost, which is about 71% of the total cost. In addition, the learning
curve analysis is conducted to attain learning rate with respect to pipeline
material and labour costs for different groups. Results show that learning rate
and construction cost are varied by pipeline diameters, pipeline lengths,
locations of pipelines and other factors. This study also investigates the
causes of pipeline construction cost differences among different groups.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
Outputs and recommendations from the Baltic Sea-basin Checkpoint WorkshopEMODnet
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Jun She, EMODnet Baltic Sea Checkpoint and senior researcher at the Danish Metereological Institute, presents the main outputs and recommendations from the Baltic Sea-basin Checkpoint Workshop held on the 14th of February 2017, in Brussels during the EMODnet stakeholder conference.
Drought monitoring, Precipitation statistics, and water balance with freely a...AngelosAlamanos
Â
The aim of this study is to showcase and discuss these new technologies for hydrometeorological studies. Six of NASA’s web-repositories that can be used to freely download and
visualise such spatial and/or time-series factors are listed and explained with examples for Ireland: ways
to access hydrological, meteorological, soil, vegetation and socio-economic data are shown, and
estimations of various precipitations statistics, anomalies, and water balance are presented for monthly
and seasonal analyses. The advantages, disadvantages and limitations of the satellite datasets are
discussed to provide useful recommendations about their proper use, based on purpose, scale, precision,
time requirement, and modelling-expansion criteria.
The Development of a Catchment Management Modelling System for the Googong Re...GavanThomas
Â
A scenario assessment model to assist the end-user in determining priorities for a series of agreed management prescriptions that can be enacted through controls on existing landuse
Wetland Flood Reduction - Distribution of Wetland Features and Applicability ...Robert Muir
Â
This presentation was prepared to advise Green Communities Canada on the applicability of green infrastructure for flood risk reduction as part of the Ontario Urban Flooding Collaborative. It includes a review of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation's Laurel Creek watershed assessment (a case study in their 2017 report "When the Big Storms Hit: The Role of Wetlands to Limit Urban and Rural Flood Damage". The review suggests that the ICCA case study is atypical for both urban and rural areas in Ontario, meaning that opportunities for flood storage and damage reduction are more limited than suggested.
This study aims to provide a reference for the pipeline construction
cost, by analysing individual pipeline cost components with historical pipeline
cost data. Cost data of 412 pipelines recorded between 1992 and 2008 in the
Oil and Gas Journal are collected and adjusted to 2008 dollars with the
chemical engineering plant cost index (CEPCI). The distribution and share of
these 412 pipeline cost components are assessed based on pipeline diameter,
pipeline length, pipeline capacity, the year of completion, locations of
pipelines. The share of material and labour cost dominates the pipeline
construction cost, which is about 71% of the total cost. In addition, the learning
curve analysis is conducted to attain learning rate with respect to pipeline
material and labour costs for different groups. Results show that learning rate
and construction cost are varied by pipeline diameters, pipeline lengths,
locations of pipelines and other factors. This study also investigates the
causes of pipeline construction cost differences among different groups.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) is an open access online peer reviewed international journal that publishes research and review articles in the fields of Computer Science, Neural Networks, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Plastic Engineering, Food Technology, Textile Engineering, Nano Technology & science, Power Electronics, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computational mathematics, Image processing, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Environmental Engineering, VLSI Testing & Low Power VLSI Design etc.
IJERA (International journal of Engineering Research and Applications) is International online, ... peer reviewed journal. For more detail or submit your article, please visit www.ijera.com
Framework for Bridges Maintenance in EgyptIJERA Editor
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The traditional approaches for bridges maintenance is proven to be inefficient as they lead to random way of
spending maintenance budget and deteriorating bridge conditions. In many cases, maintenance activities are
performed due to user complaints. The objective of this paper is to develop a practical and reliable framework to
manage the maintenance and repair activities of Bridges network in Egypt considering performance and budget
limits. The model solves an optimization problem that maximizes the average condition of the network given the
limited budget using Genetic Algorithm (GA).
The main tasks of the system are bridge inventory, condition assessment, deterioration using markov model, and
maintenance optimization. The developed model takes into account multiple parameters including serviceability
requirements, budget allocation, element importance on structural safety and serviceability, bridge impact on
network, and traffic. A questionnaire is conducted to complete the research scope. The proposed model is
implemented in software, which provides a friendly user interface. The results of the framework are multi – year
maintenance plan for the entire network for up to five years. A case study is presented for validating and testing
the model with Data collected from “General Authority for Roads, Bridges and Land Transport” in Egypt.
Framework for Bridges Maintenance in EgyptIJERA Editor
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The traditional approaches for bridges maintenance is proven to be inefficient as they lead to random way of
spending maintenance budget and deteriorating bridge conditions. In many cases, maintenance activities are
performed due to user complaints. The objective of this paper is to develop a practical and reliable framework to
manage the maintenance and repair activities of Bridges network in Egypt considering performance and budget
limits. The model solves an optimization problem that maximizes the average condition of the network given the
limited budget using Genetic Algorithm (GA).
The main tasks of the system are bridge inventory, condition assessment, deterioration using markov model, and
maintenance optimization. The developed model takes into account multiple parameters including serviceability
requirements, budget allocation, element importance on structural safety and serviceability, bridge impact on
network, and traffic. A questionnaire is conducted to complete the research scope. The proposed model is
implemented in software, which provides a friendly user interface. The results of the framework are multi – year
maintenance plan for the entire network for up to five years. A case study is presented for validating and testing
the model with Data collected from “General Authority for Roads, Bridges and Land Transport” in Egypt.
Procurement principle towards effective management of construction projectseSAT Publishing House
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IJRET : International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology is an international peer reviewed, online journal published by eSAT Publishing House for the enhancement of research in various disciplines of Engineering and Technology. The aim and scope of the journal is to provide an academic medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level learning, teaching and research in the fields of Engineering and Technology. We bring together Scientists, Academician, Field Engineers, Scholars and Students of related fields of Engineering and Technology.
EVALUATION AND STRENGTHENING OF RECONSTRUCTED ROADS EXCAVATED FOR UTILITIES U...IAEME Publication
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The study highlights the need of pavement evaluation and pavement evaluation measures for the road pavements of urban areas in Kashmir which are often being cut and refilled after laying of utilities like optical fiber cables,municipal water supply pipes, construction of severs etc. This paper includes the collection of required field data like soil sub grade data, existing pavement structure, traffic data, pavement surface condition and rebound deflection by using BBD technique,
laboratory investigations and finally the design of the overall thickness of the road pavement and overlay whatsoever required to strengthen the road stretches.
IJRET : International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology is an international peer reviewed, online journal published by eSAT Publishing House for the enhancement of research in various disciplines of Engineering and Technology. The aim and scope of the journal is to provide an academic medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level learning, teaching and research in the fields of Engineering and Technology. We bring together Scientists, Academician, Field Engineers, Scholars and Students of related fields of Engineering and Technology.
Presentation by Andrew Warren (Deltares, Netherlands) at the Climate Adaptation Symposium 2023, during the Delft Software Days - Edition 2023 (DSD-INT 2023). Wednesday, 29 November 2023, Delft.
Epistemic Interaction - tuning interfaces to provide information for AI supportAlan Dix
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Paper presented at SYNERGY workshop at AVI 2024, Genoa, Italy. 3rd June 2024
https://alandix.com/academic/papers/synergy2024-epistemic/
As machine learning integrates deeper into human-computer interactions, the concept of epistemic interaction emerges, aiming to refine these interactions to enhance system adaptability. This approach encourages minor, intentional adjustments in user behaviour to enrich the data available for system learning. This paper introduces epistemic interaction within the context of human-system communication, illustrating how deliberate interaction design can improve system understanding and adaptation. Through concrete examples, we demonstrate the potential of epistemic interaction to significantly advance human-computer interaction by leveraging intuitive human communication strategies to inform system design and functionality, offering a novel pathway for enriching user-system engagements.
PHP Frameworks: I want to break free (IPC Berlin 2024)Ralf Eggert
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In this presentation, we examine the challenges and limitations of relying too heavily on PHP frameworks in web development. We discuss the history of PHP and its frameworks to understand how this dependence has evolved. The focus will be on providing concrete tips and strategies to reduce reliance on these frameworks, based on real-world examples and practical considerations. The goal is to equip developers with the skills and knowledge to create more flexible and future-proof web applications. We'll explore the importance of maintaining autonomy in a rapidly changing tech landscape and how to make informed decisions in PHP development.
This talk is aimed at encouraging a more independent approach to using PHP frameworks, moving towards a more flexible and future-proof approach to PHP development.
GraphRAG is All You need? LLM & Knowledge GraphGuy Korland
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Guy Korland, CEO and Co-founder of FalkorDB, will review two articles on the integration of language models with knowledge graphs.
1. Unifying Large Language Models and Knowledge Graphs: A Roadmap.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2306.08302
2. Microsoft Research's GraphRAG paper and a review paper on various uses of knowledge graphs:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/graphrag-unlocking-llm-discovery-on-narrative-private-data/
Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey 2024 by 91mobiles.pdf91mobiles
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91mobiles recently conducted a Smart TV Buyer Insights Survey in which we asked over 3,000 respondents about the TV they own, aspects they look at on a new TV, and their TV buying preferences.
Le nuove frontiere dell'AI nell'RPA con UiPath Autopilot™UiPathCommunity
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In questo evento online gratuito, organizzato dalla Community Italiana di UiPath, potrai esplorare le nuove funzionalitĂ di Autopilot, il tool che integra l'Intelligenza Artificiale nei processi di sviluppo e utilizzo delle Automazioni.
đź“• Vedremo insieme alcuni esempi dell'utilizzo di Autopilot in diversi tool della Suite UiPath:
Autopilot per Studio Web
Autopilot per Studio
Autopilot per Apps
Clipboard AI
GenAI applicata alla Document Understanding
👨‍🏫👨‍💻 Speakers:
Stefano Negro, UiPath MVPx3, RPA Tech Lead @ BSP Consultant
Flavio Martinelli, UiPath MVP 2023, Technical Account Manager @UiPath
Andrei Tasca, RPA Solutions Team Lead @NTT Data
Securing your Kubernetes cluster_ a step-by-step guide to success !KatiaHIMEUR1
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Today, after several years of existence, an extremely active community and an ultra-dynamic ecosystem, Kubernetes has established itself as the de facto standard in container orchestration. Thanks to a wide range of managed services, it has never been so easy to set up a ready-to-use Kubernetes cluster.
However, this ease of use means that the subject of security in Kubernetes is often left for later, or even neglected. This exposes companies to significant risks.
In this talk, I'll show you step-by-step how to secure your Kubernetes cluster for greater peace of mind and reliability.
Essentials of Automations: Optimizing FME Workflows with ParametersSafe Software
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Are you looking to streamline your workflows and boost your projects’ efficiency? Do you find yourself searching for ways to add flexibility and control over your FME workflows? If so, you’re in the right place.
Join us for an insightful dive into the world of FME parameters, a critical element in optimizing workflow efficiency. This webinar marks the beginning of our three-part “Essentials of Automation” series. This first webinar is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to utilize parameters effectively: enhancing the flexibility, maintainability, and user control of your FME projects.
Here’s what you’ll gain:
- Essentials of FME Parameters: Understand the pivotal role of parameters, including Reader/Writer, Transformer, User, and FME Flow categories. Discover how they are the key to unlocking automation and optimization within your workflows.
- Practical Applications in FME Form: Delve into key user parameter types including choice, connections, and file URLs. Allow users to control how a workflow runs, making your workflows more reusable. Learn to import values and deliver the best user experience for your workflows while enhancing accuracy.
- Optimization Strategies in FME Flow: Explore the creation and strategic deployment of parameters in FME Flow, including the use of deployment and geometry parameters, to maximize workflow efficiency.
- Pro Tips for Success: Gain insights on parameterizing connections and leveraging new features like Conditional Visibility for clarity and simplicity.
We’ll wrap up with a glimpse into future webinars, followed by a Q&A session to address your specific questions surrounding this topic.
Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your FME expertise and drive your projects to new heights of efficiency.
Welocme to ViralQR, your best QR code generator.ViralQR
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Welcome to ViralQR, your best QR code generator available on the market!
At ViralQR, we design static and dynamic QR codes. Our mission is to make business operations easier and customer engagement more powerful through the use of QR technology. Be it a small-scale business or a huge enterprise, our easy-to-use platform provides multiple choices that can be tailored according to your company's branding and marketing strategies.
Our Vision
We are here to make the process of creating QR codes easy and smooth, thus enhancing customer interaction and making business more fluid. We very strongly believe in the ability of QR codes to change the world for businesses in their interaction with customers and are set on making that technology accessible and usable far and wide.
Our Achievements
Ever since its inception, we have successfully served many clients by offering QR codes in their marketing, service delivery, and collection of feedback across various industries. Our platform has been recognized for its ease of use and amazing features, which helped a business to make QR codes.
Our Services
At ViralQR, here is a comprehensive suite of services that caters to your very needs:
Static QR Codes: Create free static QR codes. These QR codes are able to store significant information such as URLs, vCards, plain text, emails and SMS, Wi-Fi credentials, and Bitcoin addresses.
Dynamic QR codes: These also have all the advanced features but are subscription-based. They can directly link to PDF files, images, micro-landing pages, social accounts, review forms, business pages, and applications. In addition, they can be branded with CTAs, frames, patterns, colors, and logos to enhance your branding.
Pricing and Packages
Additionally, there is a 14-day free offer to ViralQR, which is an exceptional opportunity for new users to take a feel of this platform. One can easily subscribe from there and experience the full dynamic of using QR codes. The subscription plans are not only meant for business; they are priced very flexibly so that literally every business could afford to benefit from our service.
Why choose us?
ViralQR will provide services for marketing, advertising, catering, retail, and the like. The QR codes can be posted on fliers, packaging, merchandise, and banners, as well as to substitute for cash and cards in a restaurant or coffee shop. With QR codes integrated into your business, improve customer engagement and streamline operations.
Comprehensive Analytics
Subscribers of ViralQR receive detailed analytics and tracking tools in light of having a view of the core values of QR code performance. Our analytics dashboard shows aggregate views and unique views, as well as detailed information about each impression, including time, device, browser, and estimated location by city and country.
So, thank you for choosing ViralQR; we have an offer of nothing but the best in terms of QR code services to meet business diversity!
Builder.ai Founder Sachin Dev Duggal's Strategic Approach to Create an Innova...Ramesh Iyer
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In today's fast-changing business world, Companies that adapt and embrace new ideas often need help to keep up with the competition. However, fostering a culture of innovation takes much work. It takes vision, leadership and willingness to take risks in the right proportion. Sachin Dev Duggal, co-founder of Builder.ai, has perfected the art of this balance, creating a company culture where creativity and growth are nurtured at each stage.
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdfPaige Cruz
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Monitoring and observability aren’t traditionally found in software curriculums and many of us cobble this knowledge together from whatever vendor or ecosystem we were first introduced to and whatever is a part of your current company’s observability stack.
While the dev and ops silo continues to crumble….many organizations still relegate monitoring & observability as the purview of ops, infra and SRE teams. This is a mistake - achieving a highly observable system requires collaboration up and down the stack.
I, a former op, would like to extend an invitation to all application developers to join the observability party will share these foundational concepts to build on:
Observability Concepts EVERY Developer Should Know -- DeveloperWeek Europe.pdf
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1. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 3, Issue 4, Jul-Aug 2013, pp.1833-1844
1833 | P a g e
Frame Work of Condition Assessment for Sewer Pipelines
Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi1
, Emad E. Elbeltagi2
, Mahmoud A. Dawood3
1
Expert Assistant – Experts Engineers Sector - Ministry of Justice
2
Professor - Structural Engineering Department - Mansoura University
3
Assistant Professor - Structural engineering Department - Mansoura University
Abstract
The civil infrastructure including
highways, bridges, and water/sewer systems, is
crucial for economic growth and prosperity.
Among the various infrastructure systems, sewer
pipelines networks represent a great challenge due
to their diverse components that have different
repair requirements. This paper introduces a
comprehensive asset management framework to
support the efficient planning of maintenance and
repair programs for sewer pipelines. The
advantages of the proposed framework stem from
the following: 1) a simple approach to support the
assessment of the current condition of defects
associated with gravity sewer pipelines; 2) a
Markov chain approach for prediction of future
conditions along the planning horizon; and 3) a
GA-based optimization algorithm for determining
the least-cost strategy to repair pipeline
deficiencies in each year of the planning horizon.
A case study of Shoha sewer network in Dakhlia,
Egypt is presented to demonstrate the capabilities
of the developed frame work. The results showed
the effectiveness of the proposed framework in
making appropriate decisions that ensure the
sustainable operation of sewer pipelines networks.
I. Introduction
Civil infrastructure is the foundation for
economic growth, a large percentage of its assets are
rapidly deteriorated due to age, harsh environment,
and insufficient capacity. Governments,
municipalities and organizations, therefore, have
come under increasing pressure to develop new
strategies to manage public assets in a way that
ensures their long-term sustainability. With the huge
shortage in expenditures, maintaining the operation
of infrastructure facilities becomes a challenge that
requires various efforts related to facility condition
assessment, resource planning and rehabilitation
techniques. This requires the search for innovative
and new developments that can achieve substantial
benefits in terms of cost savings and least
interruption to the public.
In Egypt, for example,Indicators show that
85% of rural residential buildings in rural
governorates had some type of sanitary facility in
2002. Nearly 10% of buildings were sewered, the
other 75% had some type of on-site storage (Septic
tanks or house vaults) (MWRI - 2005). The
Government of Egypt, increasingly aware of the rural
sanitation problem, is committed to implement the
National Program for Rural Sanitation in Egypt
through the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban
Development. The scale of the program is national,
and program interventions are expected to touch
nearly every village and household in the Nile Valley
and Delta. A well-conceived strategy based on an
informed analysis of problems, participants,
objectives, and alternatives is needed. This strategy is
required to ensure that the limited program resources,
plus additional resources leveraged by the program
will achieve the program’s objective; as the hazards
of this problem do not affect only environment and
public health, but also the objectives of water
resources management strategy in Egypt (World
Bank 2005). In the last decade, infrastructure asset
management has emerged as a formal approach that
combines engineering and economic principles to
cost effectively maintain and upgrade infrastructure
assets; for example, Wirahadikusumah et al. (2001)
introduced a Markov chain based deterioration model
for different group of sewer pipes. Data from large
diameter combined sewers in the City of Indianapolis
are classified into 16 groups based on types of
material, ground water table (GWT), backfill soil
type, and depth of cover. Transition probabilities are
estimated for each group of pipes using exponential
models. Due to limited availability of data, transition
probabilities are derived only from one group of
data.Chughtai and Zayed (2008) developed a
condition prediction model using multiple regressions
technique using data collected from two
municipalities in Canada. A separate deterioration
model is developed for each type of material, i.e.
concrete, asbestos, cement, and PVC pipes. The
models show 80 to 86% accuracy when they are
applied to a validation dataset. This accuracy level is
considered very high. Because of the complexity of
asset management operations, the targets of
maintenance programs need to be tuned to reach near
optimal solution for cost savings and other important
objectives like resources, time, and quality. As the
space of the problem depends on fairly large amount
of data and multiple variables, GAs can provide
excellent support for handling such type of problems.
Performance indicators present the essential data for
commencement of optimization process (Wang et al.
2003). Final step for decision maker is to get near
optimal solutions that assist the selection of the
relevant budget with restricted fund. The current
2. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 3, Issue 4, Jul-Aug 2013, pp.1833-1844
1834 | P a g e
paper presents a comprehensive asset management
framework for sewer pipelines networks. The
proposed framework is composed of three main
modules: condition assessment to access the current
conditions of pipes; Markov chain module to predict
the future conditions of pipes and an optimization
module to optimally identify the repair strategy. A
real-life case study project is used to demonstrate the
applicability of the developed system.
II. Condition grading of Sewer Networks
The overall approach to condition
assessment of sewer pipes can be broadly classified
into structural condition and serviceability condition.
Examples of common structural defects include
fracture, crack, deformation, surface damage and sag.
The serviceability deterioration is also a continuing
process that reduces the discharge capacity of the
pipe and can be observed through a reduction of
cross-sectional area and an increase in pipe roughness
due to roots,debris,encrustation and infiltration(WRC
1994).
In assessing the condition of a sewer pipeline, this
task consists of three steps (Tran 2007) .As
following:
(1) Selection of monitoring frequency,
(2) Selection of inspection techniques and
(3) Grading of pipe conditions.
1- Monitoring frequency
Bridges and pavements are subjected to a
regular (or repeated) inspection program to identify
structural defects during their lifetime. In particular,
every bridge is legally required to be inspected once
every two years (Madanat et al. 1995).
Unfortunately, sewers pipes were not subjected to
such regular inspection programs. Instead, their
inspection programs were of snapshot type, that is, a
sample of pipes was inspected for only once
(Kathula 2001).
2- Inspection Techniques
This basic step often associates with
reviewing as-built drawings and existing information
in order to form the backbone of any management
database. This task continues throughout service
lifetime of the pipe systems whenever new
information such as pipe replacement or repair
occurs.
There are several inspection techniques available for
each level of assessment, there are no guidelines for
selecting these techniques for a particular
application. In order to reduce time and effort in
selecting the appropriate inspection technique, a
number of researchers have provided comprehensive
reviews of inspection techniques that were applied in
many infrastructure facilities(Tran 2007).
3- Grading of pipe condition
The Water Research Center (WRC) in UK
devised the world first condition grading scheme that
provided protocols and guidelines for assessing
current condition of individual pipes using the
Closed Circuit Television(CCTV) inspection
technique (WRC 1983). Based on the original
scheme of WRC (1983), several condition grading
schemes were later developed in Canada (McDonald
and Zhao 2001) and Australia (WSAA 2002).
Although the structural and serviceability
deterioration of pipes are a continuous, ordinal
grading systems were used in these schemes for
mapping the pipe deterioration into pipe conditions
at the time of inspection. For example: The Sewer
Inspection Reporting Code (SIRC) by the Water
Service Association of Australia (WSAA 2002) was
developed for assessing conditions of rigid sewers
(concrete and vitrified clay pipes) using CCTV
inspection data as shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Description of condition states used in WSAA (2006)
Condition
Grading
Structural condition Serviceability Condition
1 Insignificant deterioration of the sewer has
occurred. Appears to be in good condition
No or insignificant loss of hydraulic
performance has occurred. Appears to be in
good condition
2 Minor deterioration of the sewer has
occurred.
Minor defects are present causing minor
loss of hydraulic performance
3 Moderate deterioration has occurred but
defects do not affect short term structural
integrity
Developed defects are present causing
moderate loss of hydraulic performance
4 Serious deterioration of the sewer has
occurred and affected structural integrity
Significant defects are present causing
serious loss of hydraulic performance
5 Failure of the sewer has occurred or is
imminent
Failure of the sewer has occurred or is
imminent
3. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 3, Issue 4, Jul-Aug 2013, pp.1833-1844
1835 | P a g e
the grading process based on the SIRC for a pipe
segment from CCTV data. A pipe segment is defined
between two manholes or pits. As shown in Figure
1, the CCTV robot was sent to the pipe of interest.
During its movement along the pipe, the CCTV-
recoded images were sent to a monitor where the
operator can recognize any structural or
serviceability defects. He or she then coded the
defects with the aid of computer; each coded defect
was automatically or manually assigned a score
according to the guidelines of weights. For example
a structural defect like crack has a score of 5. All
defect scores were aggregated for two condition
measures, namely, peak score and mean score. The
peak and mean score were then compared against
pre-defined thresholds for grading the pipe into
either condition one, two or three. In general,
structural defects that receive high scores are surface
damage, breaking and deformation, while debris,
roots and obstruction get high scores for
serviceability defects. The peak score indicates the
largest score from one defect or multiple defects in
one location (often within a meter length) in the pipe
segment. The mean score is the sum of all defect
scores divided by the segment length (Tran 2007).
Fig. 1: Grading process for a pipe from CCTV data
Chugai and zayed(2008) expressed the physical
grade of the sewer pipeline by combining the effects
of structural and serviceability rates as shown in
Equation 1 , Table 2 and Table 3.
Pipe Condition Grade (Physical Condition) =
0.541+0.273 (Rstr.)2
+0.37 (Rser.)2
(1)
Table 2: Structural condition rating (ASCE 1994)
Score range Structural condition rating,Rstr
0 0
1-4 1
5-9 2
10-14 3
15-19 4
20 5
4. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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Table 3: Serviceability condition rating (ASCE 1994)
Score range Serviceability condition
rating,Rser
0 0
1-2 1
3-4 2
5-6 3
7-8 4
9-10 5
III. Optimization Module
In this model, a more global outlook on
decision process is proposed. The model is modified
to deal with dynamic policies of cost and condition.
These modifications render the model to develop
network – level condition assessment. In particular,
theGenetic Algorithm is used to determine the
optimum time and cost.
IV. Genetic Algorithm Formulation
The proposed representing of the Life Cycle
Cost Analysis (LCCA) variables in the optimization
module shown in Figure 2. Each pipeline is arranged
in a separate row, and three columns are set to hold
the values for the problem variables in the three-year
planning horizon. These values represent indices for
one of the four repair options. In this representation,
the variables are the repair decisions for all the
pipelines throughout the three-year planning horizon.
A number one assigned for year one of pipeline one
means that this line is selected for repair in the first
year (network-level decision) and that the selected
repair strategy is type 1 (project-level decision). It is
noted that in this basic problem formulation, the
number of variables involved is N Ă— T, and each
variable can take an integer value from 0 to 3,
corresponding to one of the repair options. The
solution structure for this representation is shown in
Figure 2.
The objective function is constructed by
summing the present values of the annual cost of
repairs for all pipelines (Equation 2). The objective
function is to minimize the total life cycle cost (LCC)
while maintaining an acceptable pipeline condition:
Fig. 2: Solution Representation
(2)
Where Cti = the repair cost of repair i at time
t, r = the discount rate, T = the number of years, and
N = the number of pipelines. In addition to
constructing the objective function, the proposed
optimization module accounts for the following
constraints:
 Acceptable level of Improvement is good.
 Planning Horizon 3years.
 Once Repair option is applied through
planning horizon for each pipeline.
Given a best repair scenario for a given pipeline, after
asking consultants engineering the after-repair
condition index of this pipeline can be followed by
two assumptions as shown in Table 4:
5. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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Table 4: Purpose of repair programs
Proposed
Option
Condition Grade
After Repair
Replacement Excellent
Major or Minor Good
The years after the repair, the pipeline
condition will still deteriorate. In this study, it is
assumed that after-repair deterioration will follow the
same custom deterioration curve obtained from
Markov Chain for that instance that we will present
in case study.
V. System Development and Case Study
The data for the case study selected for
testing the proposed sewer Pipelines Management
System (SPMS) were collected from the department
of Geographical Information System abbreviated as
(DOGIS). The DOGIS has adopted the Shoha Water
and Sewer System (SWSS). However, the SWSS is
not fully utilized and is used only for data storage,
not for tracking the performance of the network, or
for inspection reports. The DOGIS owns and operates
29000 km of sewer lines, data for 10 pipeline were
provided by the DOGIS as a case study for the SPMS
developed in this study. Some of the data were also
collected through interviews with engineers from the
company. The data included general information
about the sewer network, such as the Pipeline ID, the
pipeline Type, the manhole ID, the Manhole Levels
for inlet and outlet pipes, the pipe material, the
Pipeline length (m), the Pipe diameter (mm).
Evaluating of the condition state of infrastructure
specifically in sewer pipelines is one of the most
integral pieces of information to the asset manager.
Assessing the condition state has tremendous
implications on operations, maintenance and renewal,
a reliable measure for condition state can be a
daunting task compared to surface infrastructure.
During interviews with engineers at the department
of technical support (DOTS) the direct inspection
tool is not available to the company but condition
assessment decisions for network elements depends
on:
 The complaints from the hot line service: for
the case study of sewer Shoha network has
no sever complaint there only temporary
blockage in winter due to misuse.
 The aging of material used in Vitrified Clay
pipes (VC) according to manufacturing
specifications.
 Hydraulic calculation checks for pipelines
transition efficiency and capacity according
to present population in 2013 (60000
capita).
Finally the current condition estimated now Good
Grade (2-3).
The cost data were collected through interviews with
the Department of construction (DOC) engineers, and
from previous DOC contracts and using of CAD
drawings and contract documents for sample of
pipes; it was possible to obtain unit prices for repair
activities for different pipelines. Table 5 shows a
summary of the estimated repair/replacement costs.
Table 5: Cost Data for the Case Study
Element Repair option Unit Unit Price LE
Vitrified clay (VC) pipeline
Diameter (175 mm)
Depth
(2-2.5 m)
 Minor (Spot Grouting)
 Major (Partial Lining)
 Replacement
m
m
m
140 (20% of replacement)
420 (60% of replacement)
700
The condition assessment module is
implemented on a spreadsheet program; Figure 3
shows the main screen of thecondition assessment
module. An example of a pipeline used for
determination of current grad and condition index.
The example consists of Structural defects, in
addition to Serviceability and a level of each defect is
required.
The user needs to follow two steps to use the
template and, or adapt it, to model a given pipe line.
6. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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Fig. 3: Main screen of condition assessment of sewer pipelines
 Step 1:
User starts by opening the main screen and clicking
to the inspection button (first module), then the
structural defects spread sheet will appear as shown
in Figure 4.
Fig. 4: Spread sheet of structural defects
 Step 2:
Now user will select the real rate (None, Light,
Moderate or Severe) of each structural defect
(Fractures, cracks, deformation, joint displacement,
joint opening and sag) as shown in Figure 5.
Fig. 5: Selection of structural defects rates
7. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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After a complete selection of each defect
rate the weights, peak score and structural condition
rate determined automatically. Then user can move
forward to serviceability defects spread sheet by
clicking on forward arrow, the spread sheet will
appear as shown in Figure 6.
Fig. 6: Spread sheet of structural defects
As previous, users will select the real rate
(None, Light, Moderate or Severe) of each
serviceability defect (Roots, Debris, Encrustation and
infiltration). Then weights, peak score and
serviceability condition rate determined
automatically as shown in Figure 7.Finally user can
get the current grade and condition index by clicking
on forward button as shown in Figure 8.
Fig. 7: Selection of serviceability defects rates
Fig. 8: Condition index and pipe grade
The next approach predicts the deterioration
of a component by accumulating its probability of
transition from one condition state to another over
discrete time intervals using Microsoft Excel.
A summary of the steps to predict the condition at
any time (t) is as follows:
1- Open the module of (Markovian Prediction)
in a main screen of condition assessment of
pipelines as shown in Figure3
2- Define the number of condition states (n)
that can describe the deterioration and
arrange the possible states [PS] in a column
vector as shown in Figure 9. A five-state
vector (from 1 to 5) is used, as follows:
Excellent condition (1), Very Good
Condition (2), Good Condition (3), Poor
Condition (4) and Fail Condition (5)
8. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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Fig. 9: Spread sheet of Markovian Prediction
3- Define the initial probability row vector
[IPo], as shown in Figure 10 The initial
probability row vector (at time 0) shows a
condition of 100% being in state 1 and 0%
in the rest of states from 2 to 5.
Fig. 10: Transition probability matrix and probability row vector
4- Calculate the future probability row vector
at any time [FPt]. The condition after (t)
years from a known condition (e.g., the IPo)
can be calculated by multiplying the
condition vector at the known condition by
the [TPM] raised to the power (t).
5- Calculate a single value for the condition
(i.e., the future state value FSt). The final
step is to come up with one value to describe
the condition. This is obtained by
multiplying the future probability row vector
[FPt] by the possible states column vector
[PS].
9. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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Since the above process predicts the
condition state at any time (t), it can be repeated with
various (t) values (1 to 5, for example) to draw a
deterioration behavior for 5 years. As explained, all
calculations depend on matrix multiplication, which
suits spreadsheet platforms. Hence, a spreadsheet
model for Markov has been developed.
The DOGIS has no deterioration model for predicting
future element conditions. The process of deciding
whether the pipeline requires a repair is based on
users' complaints. There is also no deterioration
model for estimating the impact of a specific repair
option on the element condition. Thus, the
deterioration and model used in the case study were
adopted as shown in Figure 11.
Fig. 11: Markov Chain Prediction Condition within 3 Years
Table 6: Population, Crossover, Mutaion and generations
Mutation =0.06 Mutation= 0.08
No. Crossover Pop. Gen./ Cycle No. Crossover Pop. Gen./Cycle
1 0.8 100 100 6 0.8 100 100
2 0.8 50 100 7 0.8 50 100
3 0.8 30 100 8 0.8 30 100
4 0.8 20 100 9 0.8 20 100
5 0.8 10 100 10 0.8 10 100
Mutation = 0.09 Mutation = 0.08
No. Crossover Pop. Gen./ Cycle No. Crossover Pop. Gen./ Cycle
10. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
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11 0.8 100 100 16 0.5 100 100
12 0.8 50 100 17 0.6 50 100
13 0.8 30 100 18 0.7 30 100
14 0.8 20 100 19 0.2 20 100
15 0.8 10 100 20 0.1 10 100
In all experimental solution, the system
stopped when the value of the objective function
(LCC) did not improve after three consecutive cycles.
The parameter settings used in the experiments are
shown in Table 6.
From previous 20 experiments to approach near
optimum solution we note the following:
 With increasing population size improves
the results (Better Condition and Lower
LCC) to certain limit, Population 20 to 50
give better results.
 Increasing Mutaion after 0.08 didn’t
improve results.
 The Figure 12 Shows near optimum Cost
and Condition Solution After applying
proposed repair program.(Mutation = 0.08,
Crossover = 0.08, Pop. Size = 50)
Fig. 12: Near Optimum Solution
VI. Framework Validation
Through interviews and asking to 10 of
command, expert and decision taker persons in
National-Authority for water and sewer in Dakahliya
, water and sewer company in Dakahliya and
consultant engineers of sewerage systems in
Mansoura to valid the results from presented model,
we discussed the following points:Access To
Interface, Interface Design, Interface Look, Range of
11. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 3, Issue 4, Jul-Aug 2013, pp.1833-1844
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variables, Reselection ability, Usefulness,
Applicability and Overall Performance.
According to Validation Grade we defined the
following in each Questionnaire paper as shown in
Figure 5.13, the questionnaire results is 1.71 average
score and ranked as "very good" as shown in Table
7.
Table 5.4: Result of Model Validation
Very Good
VII. Summary and Conclusion
Condition assessment facilitates the ongoing
estimation and tracking of sewer asset condition. The
lack of reliable condition data is a tremendous
impediment to any asset management program.
Condition assessment is costly and uncertain for
sewer networks compared with other surface
infrastructures. Asset managers need to convince
political decision makers that investment in reliable
condition data is valuable to their asset management
programs. This paper has presented aframework
methodology for rationalizing condition assessment
policies across sewer networks. An illustrated
example of theShoha village sewer network showed
how the framework can be deployed. At the asset
level, results allow the asset manager to select the
most suitable condition assessment strategy and
inspection interval for a particular pipe. At network
level, results enable the proper allocation of a
condition assessment cost through all pipes in
planning horizon. The developed framework
integrated with the genetic algorithm optimization
process. The following impediments may prevent the
use of this system:
1- Difficulty in obtaining information of current
condition and aging of sewer pipes .
2- Public awareness and funds for sewer network
environments.
In spite of these limitations, the developed
framework serves as a starting point for asset
managers to set their condition assessment policies
on the basis of a methodical process rather than a gut
feeling. Further work is currently underway to Test
the condition assessment module individually in an
actual assessment survey to determine its
performance. Also, expanding the visual guidance
system with pictures of various deteriorating
components and Using GIS and visualization
techniques to present the system outputs such as
condition indices, level of funding, backlog, and
actual versus planned performances.
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12. Ibrahim A. Elbeltagi, Emad E. Elbeltagi, Mahmoud A. Dawood / International Journal of
Engineering Research and Applications (IJERA) ISSN: 2248-9622 www.ijera.com
Vol. 3, Issue 4, Jul-Aug 2013, pp.1833-1844
1844 | P a g e
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