Simulation of transient flow in viscoelastic pipe networks

Abstract

The use of polymeric pipes such as polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has recently increased in water distribution networks. This necessitates the understanding of the viscoelastic behaviour of these pipes in practice and in particular for transient flow analysis. The purpose of this study is to calibrate a developed numerical model based on the experimental results of transient flow in PE pipe networks. The linear viscoelastic model parameters were calibrated using the inverse transient analysis. Comparison of numerical results with experimental data indicated that the developed viscoelastic model was able to predict both pressure wave damping and dispersion in these pipe systems. Results confirmed a negligible viscoelastic effect of single pipe and pipe network on the linear viscoelastic model. Hence, the calibrated results of a single PE pipe were used to simulate the transient flow in the pipe network. The experimental and simulation results of pipe network transient flow in this study are new and advance previous studies.