Measuring robustness of water distribution networks using informational entropy

Researchers are recognizing that the robustness evaluation of Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) is of great importance for reducing the impact of disruptive events. Yet, very few methods to measure the robustness of WDNs have been developed. These methods mainly focus on topological attributes and fail to provide a comprehensive picture of the robustness characteristics of WDNs. The work described herein proposes a new robustness index to measure the heterogeneity of WDNs drawing on informational entropy theory. The paper attempts to shift away from an exclusive topological viewpoint or a pure hydraulic approach, towards a combined topological and hydraulic analysis. The main emphasis is on the influence of an individual node on the overall network performance. The use of the proposed index is illustrated with a real-world WDN of an Australian town. The results highlight the significance of integrating the topological and hydraulic metrics for a reliable assessment of robustness in WDNs.