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THT302 Analysis and Design of Water Distribution Networks

Credits (ECTS):7.5

Course responsible:Abbas Roozbahani

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:The nominal work load for a 7.5-credit course is 187.5 hours in total.

Teaching and exam period:This course starts in the autumn parallel. This course has teaching/evaluation in the autumn parallel.

About this course

This course aims to provide essential knowledge of the design, analysis and management of water distribution networks. It offers the students practical experience in using different water supply and distribution modelling tools. Topics covered include:

  • Hydraulics of pressurized flows: Single pipe calculation, branched and looped networks (steady state & extended period analysis)
  • Head-driven simulation modeling (HDSM)
  • Non-revenue water analysis
  • District metered area (DMA) principles
  • Leakage management
  • Pressure management
  • Water quality in water distribution systems
  • Modelling with EPANET software
  • Calibration of hydraulic models
  • Reliability analysis
  • AI applications and optimization in water supply networks
  • Case studies

Learning outcome

Upon completion, students should be able to:

  • Understand water supply and distribution system components, their characteristics and the functioning of such systems
  • Understand supply and distribution system management problems
  • Use water supply and distribution design, modelling and management principles
  • Identify, formulate and analyze a management problem in a given water supply/distribution system
  • Demonstrate some practical experience in using water supply/distribution modelling tools
  • Recommend suitable modelling approaches for practical problems and appraise the recent developments in the field of water distribution networks analysis and management
  • Learning activities
    The course includes lectures, problem solving and discussions in class, modelling with software and individual assignments.
  • Teaching support
    Assistance will be available for guidance during lectures, problem solving and software sessions.
  • Prerequisites
    Knowledge of fluid mechanics/hydraulics equivalent to the course TPS200 and knowledge of water and wastewater engineering equivalent to the course THT261 are required.
  • Recommended prerequisites
    Basic knowledge of asset management equivalent to the course THT301 and machine learning techniques equivalent to the course DAT200 are recommended. Also working knowledge of engineering mathematics and statistics is an advantage.
  • Assessment method

    Combined assessment, based on:

    • Compulsory assignments (counts 30 %) during the semester
    • Paper based written exam (counts 70 %) in the exam period, 3 hours, aids code B2 (distributed calculator, specified other aids)

    Grade scale: A - F



  • Examiner scheme
    The external and internal examiner jointly prepare the exam questions and the grading guide. The external examiner reviews the internal examiner's assessment of a random sample of candidates as a calibration at certain intervals according to the faculty's guidelines for exam grading.
  • Mandatory activity
    Submission of compulsory assignments including individual exercises and computer modelling with EPANET. These assignments count towards the final grade.
  • Teaching hours
    Lectures: 39 hours (three hours per week). Exercise/support for group work sessions: 26 hours (two hours per week).
  • Admission requirements
    REALFAG (special requirements in science)