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The Safety Operations and Intelligent Control of Water Network Engineering Systems

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydraulics and Hydrodynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 4054

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yantao Zhu

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Guest Editor

College of Water Conserwancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Interests: hydraulic structures; concrete dams; dams and dikes; dam safety; structural health monitoring; reliability analysis; risk analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Rui Pang

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: hydraulic structures; rockfill dams; dam safety; geotechnical engineering; seismic; reliability analysis; stochastic dynamic analysis; probability
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Dr. Binghan Xue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Division of Water Conservation and Hydropower Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
Interests: hydraulic structures; arch dams; dams and dikes; dam safety; numerical method; seismic analysis; reservoir reinforcement; nondestructive testing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water is a fundamental resource that supports life, economic activities, and environmental sustainability. As global populations grow and climate change impacts become more pronounced, the management and safety of water network engineering systems have never been more critical. Ensuring the reliable operation and intelligent control of these systems is essential to providing a continuous water supply, protecting infrastructure, and safeguarding public health and the environment.

The intricate nature of water networks, which encompass reservoirs, dams, pipelines, treatment plants, and distribution systems, poses significant challenges. These challenges include, but are not limited to, the aging of infrastructure, increased demand, pollution, natural disasters, and cyber threats. The integration of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and big data analytics offers new opportunities to enhance the safety, resilience, and efficiency of water network systems.

This Special Issue aims to address these challenges by focusing on the safety operations and intelligent control of water network engineering systems. We seek to bring together cutting-edge research and innovative solutions that contribute to the development of robust methodologies and technologies. We invite researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to submit their original research papers, reviews, and case studies. Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Water network safety evaluation methods;

(2) Intelligent control systems for water networks;

(3) Risk assessment and management in water engineering;

(4) Integration of IoT and AI in water safety operations;

(5) Reliability analysis of water infrastructure;

(6) Seismic impact and mitigation strategies for water networks;

(7) Dynamic and static analyses of water engineering structures;

(8) Safety monitoring and real-time data analysis;

(9) Case studies on water network safety and control;

(10) Emergency response planning and disaster management in water networks;

(11) Sustainability and environmental impact assessments of water networks;

(12) Cybersecurity in water network operations;

(13) Policy and regulatory frameworks for water network safety and control.

By exploring these topics, we aim to foster advancements that contribute to the sustainable and secure management of water resources. We look forward to your contributions to this Special Issue, which will serve as a valuable resource for advancing the field of water network engineering safety and intelligent control.

Dr. Yantao Zhu
Dr. Rui Pang
Dr. Binghan Xue
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

water network safety
intelligent control systems
risk assessment
IoT and AI integration
infrastructure reliability

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 2523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimized Regulation Scheme of Valves in Self-Pressurized Water Pipeline Network and Water Hammer Protection Research

by Yunpeng Zheng, Yihai Tan, Lin Li and Qixuan Zhang

Water 2025, 17(10), 1534; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17101534 - 20 May 2025

Viewed by 129

Abstract

This study addresses the water hammer protection challenges in the JH gravity-fed bifurcated pipeline network system in Xinjiang, China. A hydraulic transient numerical model is developed using the one-dimensional method of characteristics and implemented in Bentley HAMMER software to systematically analyze the transient response characteristics under different valve closure schemes, with a focus on revealing pressure fluctuation patterns in branch and main pipelines under various shutdown modes. Key findings include the following: Single-valve linear slow closure reduces the maximum water hammer pressure by 54.7%, while the two-stage closure strategy suppresses pressure extremes below safety thresholds with 73.1% higher efficiency than linear closure. For multi-valve conditions, although two-stage closure eliminates negative pressure risks, most of nodes exhibit transient overpressure exceeding 1.5 times the working pressure. By integrating overpressure relief valves into a composite protection system, the maximum transient pressure is strictly controlled within 1.5× rated pressure, and the minimum pressure remains above −2 mH₂O, successfully resolving protection challenges in this complex network. These results provide technical guidelines for the safe operation of gravity-fed pipeline systems in high-elevation-difference regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Safety Operations and Intelligent Control of Water Network Engineering Systems)

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15 pages, 8805 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Response Study of a Cross-Fault Water Conveyance Tunnel under the Combined Action of Faulting Dislocation and Seismic Loading

by Maochu Zhang, Tianyou Yan, Zhen Cui, Jianhe Li and Ran Xu

Water 2024, 16(20), 2876; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16202876 - 10 Oct 2024

Viewed by 924

Abstract

This paper investigated the response of a cross-fault water conveyance tunnel under the combined action of faulting dislocation and seismic loading. The current work studied the mechanical properties of the wall rock–lining contact surface. Finite difference method (FDM) code was used for the numerical simulation test to reproduce the shear test and calibrate the parameters. In the analysis of the combined faulting dislocation and strong earthquake impact on the cross-fault tunnel, the FDM was used with special consideration of the wall rock–lining interaction. The result showed that the Coulomb contact model in the FDM code could satisfactorily simulate the shear behavior of wall rock–lining contact surface. In the mechanical response calculation of the cross-fault tunnel under the faulting dislocation–seismic loading action, the magnitude of the initial faulting distance had a significant effect on the seismic relative deformation of the tunnel. The permanent deformation caused by the seismic loading increased with the initial faulting dislocation. The position of the maximum shear stress on the contact interface was related to the faulting dislocation mode, and it was distributed on the side of the tunnel squeezed by the active plate. In the high seismic risk regions with extensive development of active faults, it was necessary to consider the initial crack caused by the faulting dislocation in the stability evaluation of the cross-fault tunnel. Then, the seismic resistance study of the tunnel was followed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Safety Operations and Intelligent Control of Water Network Engineering Systems)

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19 pages, 4944 KiB

Open AccessArticle

2D-URANS Study on the Impact of Relative Diameter on the Flow and Drag Characteristics of Circular Cylinder Arrays

by Mengyang Liu, Yisen Wang, Yiqing Gong and Shuxia Wang

Water 2024, 16(16), 2264; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16162264 - 11 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1215

Abstract

The flow structure around limited-size vegetation patches is crucial for understanding sediment transport and vegetation succession trends. While the influence of vegetation density has been extensively explored, the impact of the relative diameter of vegetation stems remains relatively unclear. After validating the reliability of the numerical model with experimental data, this study conducted 2D-URANS simulations (SST k-ω) to investigate the impact of varying relative diameters d/D under different vegetation densities λ on the hydrodynamic characteristics and drag force of vegetation patches. The results show that increasing d/D and decreasing λ are equivalent, both contributing to increased spacing between cylinder elements, allowing for the formation of element-scale Kármán vortices. Compared to vegetation density λ, the non-dimensional frontal area aD is a better predictor for the presence of array-scale Kármán vortex streets. Within the parameter range covered in this study, array-scale Kármán vortex streets appear when aD ≥ 1.4, which will significantly alter sediment transport patterns. For the same vegetation density, increasing the relative diameter d/D leads to a decrease in the array drag coefficient

{\bar{C}}_{D}

and an increase in the average element drag coefficient

{\bar{C}}_{d}

. When parameterizing vegetation resistance using aD, all data points collapse onto a single curve, following the relationships

{\bar{C}}_{D} = 0.34 \ln (a D) + 0.78

and

{\bar{C}}_{d} = - 0.42 \ln (a D) + 0.82

. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Safety Operations and Intelligent Control of Water Network Engineering Systems)

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16 pages, 4899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Permeability Estimation of Engineering-Adapted Clay–Gravel Mixture Based on Binary Granular Fabric

by Wenbin Huang, Chenghao Chen, Shengshui Chen, Hua Ling, Shiang Mei and Yi Tang

Water 2024, 16(16), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16162243 - 8 Aug 2024

Viewed by 1369

Abstract

Clay–gravel mixture is an increasingly popular material used in geotechnical engineering for its engineering adaptability and easy accessibility. Among various granulometric factors, gravel content plays a critical role in the alteration of mixture microstructure. Its influence on mechanical behavior has been comprehensively investigated, yet the hydraulic models accounting for the paired impact of clay and gravel particles are seldomly discussed. In an effort to enhance the permeability prediction capability of this soil, a generalized binary model derived from a theoretical hydraulic conductivity expression is proposed, with the participation of two fundamental compound seepage models. High accuracy between test and calculation results indicates the reliability of this model, as well as its supremacy over conventional models. The parameter sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the proposed model, being of convincing parametric stability regardless of variant particle size distribution characteristics, has the potential to be applicable to a wide range of engineering-adapted CGMs. The predictive formula for cohesive fraction and the anomaly coefficient, as is integrated into the binary model, are explicitly discussed. Suitable for clay–gravel materials under a transitional soil state for engineering applications, this model provides a quantitative and reasonable evaluation of hydraulic conductivity with high practicality. The above findings might work as a perspective for the credible assessment of structure seepage safety behavior, as well as a quantitative evaluation method regarding the mixing quality of CGMs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Safety Operations and Intelligent Control of Water Network Engineering Systems)

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