Let’s review in this video the different available ways to create the water distribution networks that you will be designing in our AQUEDUCTS software.
Once you have created a new project and made the configuration of general parameters, just like we have shown in a previous video, it’s time to begin the water network construction. Let’s see which options are available.
The very first thing to do is create a new network from the WATER NETWORK tab. Here you’ll find the required tools to build the appropriate model of the water distribution network.
Later, if we go to the DRAWING tab, you will see that on the left is the Objects Import panel.
Here you’ll find the three options for creating water networks from objects or files that are not, so to speak, compatible with AQUEDUCTS.
The first option allows you to read the information contained in a drawing file with DXF or DWG AUTOCAD format.
When clicked on, a dialog will be shown in which, first of all, it is necessary that you select the file containing the information to be imported.
In simple terms, the idea is that objects to be imported are separated by layers in the source file. Ideally, you should have a layer that contains the circles that will represent the nodes of the water network;
another layer for their labels in case you do not want the software to perform the naming automatically in the import process;
and finally, a layer that contains the lines or polylines representing the pipelines.
Note that if polylines representing the pipes have vertices, the software in the import process will take them into account as bends in order to adapt as well as possible to the reference information. Additionally, you will see that the length is determined automatically from the corresponding coordinates.
Likewise, if the circles representing the nodes have a value assigned to the Coordinate Z property, you will see that the software assigns it as a nodes elevation; remaining only to be defined by you, for the purposes of determining the pipeline’s depth, the respective terrain elevation.
Here it is important to emphasize that it is not strictly necessary that there are circles and texts to identify the nodes for the software to perform the import.
I will perform the process again to show it to you.
Notice that now I only specify a layer for the pipes in the dialog. And, when we review the result, the node has been generated in each extreme vertex with its respective automatic label.
The only difference is that, in this case, we will not have the elevation of the assigned node automatically. So keep this in mind.
The next option we have included, looking to exchange data with one of the applications of greater use for the simulation in an extended period of water distribution networks, EPANET, is to create the network from an EPANET input file.
In this case you should only take into account, before importing, that consistency exists between the units you have specified in your current project’s settings and those with which the input file created from EPANET was generated.
Once you select the file and click Open, a message dialog will be shown, and, if everything has been successful, you will see the water network created in the drawing area.
Of course, as long as it is available in the source file, the properties of nodes and pipes required to perform the calculation within the program will be imported.
The last available option to create the water distribution network through files import is from a Microsoft Excel file.
Here, when you click the button, select the EXCEL file with the information, and click Open, you will see this dialog.
On it you will find the option to select what type of object you are importing and, for each object, you will see that the table or Excel sheet in which the information is located must be selected.
Also, you will see that for each property you are asked to select the column, in the reference table, in which the respective data are found as well as the unit in which they are, so as to allow the software to perform the transformation to the units you have specified in the project’s settings.
Let’s look at it in detail. We will upload the Excel file with the information to be imported here.
The Nodes table contains four columns, while the Pipes table has data in six columns.
Additionally, there is a page in which there is information for demand parcels that could also be imported into the software.
Let’s go back.
I will then select, from the nodes table, the fields or columns I want to import to see the result.
Note that in the case of demand property, I modify the unit since the original values in the file to be imported are in liters per day.
By clicking OK and closing this message, we see the nodes created in the drawing area.
Once nodes are created, the second step is to import the pipes, following the same sequence.
Change here to Pipes and select the columns.
And click OK.
Thus we have the water distribution network created easily and, of course, with the information assigned to each object in the project.
The last available option to create the water network is to draw the nodes and pipes that comprise it directly on the drawing area provided in the software’s main window.
It is possible that, before starting your work, you can import a drawing file that serves as background or reference for the drawing. This way, once pipes are created, they will have the actual lengths.
To do that you have the Load button, in the Background image panel of the DRAWING tab.
Once you select the drawing file to use and click open, the process of reading and drawing its components in the drawing area will begin.
And, once you have it as part of the current project, you can permanently modify the color and visibility of the objects that comprise it using the Layers button of the background image available in the same panel Background image.
In this case, to make the visualization easier, I will leave only the contour lines of the road visible, since it is the only information that we usually need to define the layout of the components of the water supply networks.
And now, I can start to draw the water network using the Add option of the Pipes panel of the WATER NETWORK tab.
First I want to modify the color and thickness of the line for pipes, so we will see the drawing better.
I have activated the pipe creation command, and note that informative messages will usually be presented in the status bar below. It is only necessary to define the network layout, always taking into account that a node is only necessary in the places where:
- It is required to define a demand or consumption.
- We expect or wish to set a change in diameter or material of the pipe.
- The intersection of more than two pipes exists.
I will define the pipe sections of the water distribution network. There is no limitation on the number of nodes you can create, nor do limits exist in the type of network to be designed. These can be open, closed, or mixed.
To modify the drawing, there are options such as moving objects, as you see here with these pipe sections.
To insert nodes in already existing pipe sections, just select the add button in the Nodes panel and click on the section you wish to divide. The program will perform the insertion quickly.
As you have seen, the creation of the network through drawing is quite fast since the definition of node names, and the allocation of lengths of pipe sections, among other aspects, are done automatically by the software.
Keep an eye on this video series, in which we will be creating and feeding this water distribution network example in order to show you the capabilities incorporated in our Aqueducts software.
Thanks for your attention.