4.0 Article

Water network renewal strategy: a case study of Aigues De Barcelona

Publisher

ICE PUBLISHING
DOI: 10.1680/jwama.18.00100

Keywords

environment; sustainability; water supply

Funding

  1. Barcelona City Council
  2. local council of Badalona
  3. local council of Montcada i Reixac
  4. local council of Cornella de Llobregat
  5. local council of Esplugues de Llobregat
  6. local council of l'Hospitalet de Llobregat
  7. local council of Sant Feliu de Llobregat
  8. local council of Sant Just Desvern
  9. local council of el Papiol
  10. local council of Sant Climent de Llobregat

Ask authors/readers for more resources

This paper presents a consistent and transparent methodology for the prioritisation of the pipeline sections to be renewed in the whole Aigues de Barcelona (AB) urban water network. The prioritisation index for pipeline renewal serves to evaluate the risk impact, in terms of sustainability, of each section of pipeline in the water distribution network for the purpose of its eventual renewal. Sections with higher prioritisation indices should thus be proposed as the first to be renewed. This methodology represents a meaningful step towards a sustainable and reliable management of water assets. Different economic, environmental and social aspects were considered through a probabilistic multi-criteria decision framework and an analytic hierarchy process was used to conciliate all stakeholder interests. A case study conducted for AB, a Spanish utility company dedicated to services, distribution and treatment of water, is presented in this article to show how the method gives accurate, consistent and repeatable evaluations.

Authors

I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.

Reviews

Primary Rating

4.0
Not enough ratings

Secondary Ratings

Novelty
-
Significance
-
Scientific rigor
-
Rate this paper

Recommended

Article Chemistry, Physical

Mechanical Optimization of Concrete with Recycled PET Fibres Based on a Statistical-Experimental Study

Alejandro Meza, Pablo Pujadas, Laura Montserrat Meza, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Ruben D. Lopez-Carreno

Summary: The study evaluated recycled PET fiber reinforced concrete and found that fiber dose had a greater influence on the responses than fiber aspect ratio, with the optimal performance surpassing control samples and showing similar improvement to those reinforced with virgin fibers.

MATERIALS (2021)

Review Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

Conversion of End-of-Life Household Materials into Building Insulating Low-Cost Solutions for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts: Review and Outlook towards a Circular and Sustainable Economy

Manuela Neri, Mariagrazia Pilotelli, Marco Traversi, Elisa Levi, Edoardo Alessio Piana, Mariasole Banno, Eva Cuerva, Pablo Pujadas, Alfredo Guardo

Summary: This paper investigates the possibility of converting end-of-life household materials into low-cost thermal insulating materials for improving indoor thermal comfort in buildings. Through a comprehensive literature review and qualitative analysis, it is found that converting these materials into insulating material is possible and has environmental benefits and positive social implications. However, further development and consideration are needed for aspects like adaptability, life expectancy, collection, and storage to make the reuse and re-conversion processes viable on a larger scale.

SUSTAINABILITY (2021)

Article Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Sound Absorbing and Insulating Low-Cost Panels from End-of-Life Household Materials for the Development of Vulnerable Contexts in Circular Economy Perspective

Manuela Neri, Elisa Levi, Eva Cuerva, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Alfredo Guardo Zabaleta, Pablo Pujadas

Summary: By utilizing end-of-life household materials to create acoustic panels, it is possible to reduce waste, minimize environmental impact from new raw material extraction, and enhance living conditions for low-income households.

APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL (2021)

Article Construction & Building Technology

Sustainable deployment of an electric vehicle public charging infrastructure network from a city business model perspective

Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Pablo Pujadas, Craig Morton, Carles Cervera

Summary: This paper discusses the importance of establishing a public charging infrastructure network to promote the uptake and use of electric vehicles, emphasizing the need to involve a wide range of public and private stakeholders.

SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY (2021)

Article Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications

Neural network-aided prediction of post-cracking tensile strength of fibre-reinforced concrete

T. Ikumi, E. Galeote, P. Pujadas, A. de la Fuente, R. D. Lopez-Carreno

Summary: This paper introduces the use of a neural network to predict the post-cracking tensile strength of fibre-reinforced concrete, optimizing the network architecture and parameters to improve prediction accuracy. It can effectively predict the tensile strength of concrete at different cracking stages and perform parameter analysis to validate the consistency of the predicted results.

COMPUTERS & STRUCTURES (2021)

Article Construction & Building Technology

Non-destructive test approach for assessing the amount of fibre in polymeric fibre reinforced concrete

J. de la Cruz, I Segura, P. Pujadas, J. M. Torrents, A. de la Fuente

Summary: This paper discusses a nondestructive method based on measuring electrical impedance to assess the content of polymeric fibres embedded in concrete matrices.

CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS (2022)

Article Construction & Building Technology

Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the energy consumption of university buildings

K. Gaspar, M. Gangolells, M. Casals, P. Pujadas, N. Forcada, M. Macarulla, B. Tejedor

Summary: This study evaluates the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the energy use of academic buildings, revealing a decrease in energy consumption during the lockdown period, however, a significant portion of energy was still being used.

ENERGY AND BUILDINGS (2022)

Article Construction & Building Technology

Sustainable strategy for the implementation of energy efficient smart public lighting in urban areas: case study in San Sebastian

Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Ana Blanco, Euken Sese, Felix Ezcurra, Pablo Pujadas

Summary: Public lighting is a key factor in global electricity usage and city energy bills, with smart public lighting gaining momentum for its potential quick wins. This paper discusses the effectiveness, efficiency, and feasibility of establishing a smart public lighting infrastructure network, providing insights and recommendations for other public managers looking to implement this service effectively and scale-up its use and business model.

SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND SOCIETY (2022)

Review Construction & Building Technology

A systematic review on MIVES: A sustainability-oriented multi-criteria decision-making method

David Boix-Cots, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Ana Blanco, Antonio Aguado, Pablo Pujadas

Summary: This paper reviews and analyzes the literature on MIVES, providing data on the current state of MIVES. It categorizes the usefulness of MIVES as a design and decision-making tool and discusses its characteristics to help researchers deepen their understanding of the method and identify potential future research directions.

BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT (2022)

Article Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Modified digital image correlation aided measurement of the transverse to longitudinal deformation ratio for polymeric macro-fibres

T. Ikumi, P. Pujadas, J. de la Cruz, I. Segura, A. de la Fuente

Summary: This paper presents a noncontact optical measurement method for evaluating the transverse to longitudinal deformation ratio of fibre-reinforced concrete, and analyzes the influence of different fibre geometric characteristics on this ratio through experimental research. The results and measurement procedure proposed in this study aim to assist fibre producers in optimizing the use of fibres in structural concrete.

MATERIALS & DESIGN (2022)

Article Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

A hierarchical integration method under social constraints to maximize satisfaction in multiple criteria group decision making systems

David Boix-Cots, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Pablo Pujadas

Summary: This paper proposes a novel methodology based on social choice theory and statistical mathematics to aggregate multiple assessments. The method divides the assessment into components and assigns weights to each source based on their position compared to the group for each considered criteria. The approach maximizes individual and group satisfaction and allows for management of previously assigned influence. An example is provided to illustrate the methodology, and sensitivity analysis and comparisons with other methods are conducted.

EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS (2023)

Article Construction & Building Technology

Thermal, acoustic, and fire performance characterization of textile face mask waste for use as low-cost building insulation material

Manuela Neri, Eva Cuerva, Elisa Levi, Pablo Pujadas, Edgardo Muller, Alfredo Guardo

Summary: The circular economy is a production and consumption model that involves sharing, borrowing, reusing, repairing, reconditioning, and recycling existing materials and products. This study focuses on reusing facemasks made of polyamide fabric to reduce waste generated by pandemics. The recycled polyamide fiber shows comparable thermal, acoustic, and fire performance properties to commercial insulation materials, making it a viable option for enhancing thermal and acoustic comfort in low-income households.

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT (2023)

Review Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

A systematic review on multi-criteria group decision-making methods based on weights: Analysis and classification scheme

David Boix-Cots, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Pablo Pujadas

Summary: Interest in group decision-making has grown in the past decade due to global databases, sophisticated sensors, and complex problems requiring input from multiple experts. However, there is a lack of a general framework, particularly for experts' weighting methods. This study presents a general framework that classifies and analyzes data aggregation techniques, with a focus on experts' weighting methods, providing guidance for researchers and experts.

INFORMATION FUSION (2023)

Article Environmental Sciences

Environmental and economic impacts of combining backfill materials for novel circular narrow trenches

I. Josa, A. Petit-Boix, M. M. Casanovas-Rubio, P. Pujadasd, A. de la Fuente

Summary: In recent years, policies and technological solutions have targeted the construction sector to reduce its environmental impacts. Reusing materials in construction, specifically in trenches for protecting services, has shown promising potential for increasing sustainability and circularity. This research study assesses the economic and environmental impacts of four scenarios of trenches, concluding that the eco-trench system, which reuses all materials, can significantly reduce both environmental and economic impacts.

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (2023)

Article Construction & Building Technology

Analysis and Comparison of the Infrastructure Report Cards as a Decision Making Tool for Sustainable Development

David Boix-Cots, Francesc Pardo-Bosch, Pablo Pujadas

Summary: This paper presents and compares infrastructure report cards (IRCs) from different countries, analyzing their characteristics and providing recommendations for improvement. It offers valuable insights for civil engineering associations, governments, and infrastructure planners.

BUILDINGS (2023)

No Data Available