Estimating sanitary sewer pipeline infrastructure from basic characteristics of a service zone

Date
2021-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The standard detailed design and cost estimation for a sewer network involves considerable time and financial investment. There are,however, many cases where a rapid assessment of the sewer infrastructure or related costs associated with a service zone might be required. Accordingly, there have been numerous approaches to rapid sewer infrastructure assessment in the literature, ranging from the automated generation of entire sewer network plans to direct cost estimation methods. Yet,to date, no widelyavailable tool has been developed thatcan be applied to reliably estimate the expected sewer pipeline infrastructure associated with aservice zone in South Africa.The main aim of this study was therefore to develop a method for estimating the sewer pipeline infrastructure required for a service zone, based on limited information, thatcould be applied toboth existing and future developments. In order toachieve the stated aim, a database of South African sewer network data was used in the development of three major study outcomes. StudyOutcomeI involved developing multiple linear regression models for estimating the total sewer pipeline length for a service zone using only basic service zone characteristics. StudyOutcomeII involved determining the average pipeline diameter distributions for different types of service zones, by which the total pipeline length could be disaggregatedinto lengths per diameter. StudyOutcomeIII involved determining the average number of manholes per kilometre of sewer pipeline for different types of service zones, by which the total number of manholes for a service zone could be determined.To satisfy Study Outcome I, models were developedfor nine different categories of land use and area sizeusing weighted least squares regression. The modelsallowed for estimation ofthe total pipeline length as a function ofthree variables, namelythe service zone area size, relief (in terms of the difference between the mean elevation and the expected elevation of the network endpoint), and the density of contributing users (in terms of the number of unit hydrographs per hectare). The model strengths ranged fromvery good to moderate, with average percentage errors in the order of 10–35%.To satisfy Study Outcome II, pipeline diameter distributions were developed for 17 different categories of land use, area size and relief, which showed that the proportion of pipes with diameter ≤160 mm was always at least 90% for residential service zones,and at least 70% for non-residential service zones. To satisfy Study Outcome III, the average number of manholes per kilometre of pipeline was determined for six different categories of land use and area size,which yieldedan average manhole distribution in the order of 20 manholes/km.Combined, the three study outcomes form an infrastructure estimation tool that enablesreasonably reliableestimation of the sewer pipeline length perapproximatediameter and the number of manholes associated with a service zone, applicable to service zones on a development scale smaller than 450 hectares.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gedetailleerde ontwerp en kosteberaming van rioolnetwerke is gewoonlik tydintensief en verg substansiële finansiële insette. Daar is egter baie gevalle waar 'n vinnige evaluering van die benodigde rioolpypleiding infrastruktuur, of die verwagte koste verbonde aan 'n dienstesone, benodig word. Vanuitdie literatuur is daar talle benaderings vir die vinnige assessering van die benodigde rioolpypleiding infrastruktuur, wat wissel van die outomatiese generasie van volledige riooluitlegte tot direkte kosteberamingsmetodes. Desnieteenstaande, is daar nog geen algemeen beskikbare metode, waarvolgens die verwagte rioolpypleiding infrastruktuur vir ʼn dienstesone in Suid-Afrika betroubaar beraam kan word nie. Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was dus om 'n metode te ontwikkel waarvolgens die rioolpypleiding infrastruktuur wat vir 'n dienstesone benodig word, beraam kan word, gebaseer op beperkte inligting. Die metode moes toepasbaar wees op bestaande sowel as toekomstige ontwikkelings.Ten einde die studiedoelwitte te bereik, is 'n databasis van Suid-Afrikaanse rioolnetwerkdata gebruik vir die ontwikkeling van drie primêre uitkomste. Studie-uitkoms I behels die ontwikkeling van veelvuldige lineêre regressiemodelle vir die beraming van die totale rioolpyplengte vir 'n dienstesone, deur slegs basiese eienskappe vandie dienstesone te gebruik. Studie-uitkoms II behels die bepaling van die gemiddelde verspreiding van die pyplyndiameter vir verskillende soorte dienstesones, waarvolgens die totale pypleidinglengte in totale lengte per pypdeursnee opgedeel kan word. Studie-uitkoms III behels die bepaling van die gemiddelde aantal mangate per kilometer rioolpypleiding vir verskillende soorte dienstesones, waarvolgens die totale aantal mangate vir 'n dienstesone bepaal kan word. Vir nege verskillende kategorieë van area engrondgebruik, is regressiemodelle ontwikkel waarvolgens die totale pypleidinglengte bereken kon word. Daar is bevind dat die totale pypleidinglengte 'n funksie is van drie veranderlikes, naamlik die grootte van die dienstesone, reliëf (in terme van die verskil tussen die gemiddelde hoogte en verwagte hoogte van die riool eindpunt), en die digtheid van gebruikers (in terme van die aantal hidrografiese eenhede per hektaar). Die akkuraatheid van die modelle het gewissel van baie goed tot redelik, met ʼn gemiddelde persentasie fout tussen 10 en 35%. Vir 17 verskillende kategorieë van grondgebruik, oppervlakte en reliëf, is pyplyn-deursnee-verdelings ontwikkel. Daar is bevind dat vir nie-residensiële dienstesones, meer as 70% van alle pype ≤ 160 mm in deursnee is. Vir residensiële dienstesones daarenteen, het meer as 90% van alle rioolpype 'n deursnee van ≤ 160 mm. Laastens, vir ses verskillende kategorieë van grondgebruik en oppervlakte, is bevind dat die gemiddelde getal mangate per kilometer pypleiding in die orde van 20 mangate/km is.Deur gesamentlike toepassing van al drie studie-uitkomste, is 'n metode ontwikkel waarvolgens rioolpypleiding infrastruktuur tot 'n redelike mate van akkuraatheid beraam kan word, vir dienstesones kleiner as 450 hektaar.
Description
Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Regression analysis, South African data, Pipelines -- Design and construction, Diameter distribution, Manholes, UCTD, Sewer-pipe, Joints (Engineering)
Citation