Impact of the Condition of Drinking Water Supply Networks on the Quality of Water Intended for Consumption: The Case of the Network in the Commune of Daloa (Central West of Côte d’Ivoire)

The potability of drinking water depends not only on the source and the treatment system, but also on the quality of the waterworks. In fact, the quality of drinking water is considerably degraded by the dilapidated state and lack of maintenance of drinking water networks. In Côte d’Ivoire, the majority of drinking water networks in the various towns are ageing. In Daloa, despite the efforts made by the company in charge of water treatment and distribution to make the water drinkable, the water at consumers’ taps is often colored, has an unpleasant aftertaste and settles after collection. As a result, people are concerned about the potability of tap water, and some are turning to alternative sources of drinking water of unknown quality. In order to determine the factors responsible for the deterioration in water color and taste, as well as the sectors of the network most affected, a diagnosis of the network’s equipment was carried out. Water samples taken from the network were analyzed for color and turbidity. The diagnosis revealed that most of the equipment (suction pads, valves, drains and fire hydrants) is outdated and irregularly maintained. Analyses show that the water is more colored in cast-iron and PVC pipes than in asbestos cement pipes. Coloration values in the network range from 0 to 27 UVC for asbestos cement pipes, from 15 to 56 UCV for ductile iron pipes, and from 11 to 102 UCV for PVC pipes. On the over hand, turbidity values vary from 8.02 to 3.32 NTU for ductile cast iron pipes, 8.51 to 16.98 NTU for asbestos cement pipes and 0.9 to 6.98 NTU for PVC pipes. Old cast-iron pipes release ferric ions on contact with water, degrading their color. Old cast-iron pipes release ferric ions into the water, degrading its color. The high color values observed in the vicinity of drains are thought to be due to irregular maintenance of the network. In fact, after network maintenance, a reduction rate ranging from 2% to 73% is observed for turbidity, while for color, the rate varies from 5% to 72%. In short, the network’s obsolescence and irregular maintenance contribute significantly to the deterioration of water quality.

Serviceability evaluation of water supply networks under seismic loads utilizing their operational physical mechanism

The serviceability of water supply networks(WSNs)under seismic loads has significant importance for estimating the probable losses and the impact of diminished functionality on affected communities.The innovation presented in this paper is suggesting a new strategy to evaluate the seismic serviceability of WSNs,utilizing their operational physical mechanism.On one hand,this method can obtain the seismic serviceability of each node as well as entire WSNs.On the other hand,this method can dynamically reflect the propagation of randomness from ground motions to WSNs.First,a finite element model is established to capture the seismic response of buried pipe networks,and a leakage model is suggested to obtain the leakage area of WSNs.Second,the transient flow analysis of WSNs with or without leakage is derived to obtain dynamic water flow and pressure.Third,the seismic serviceability of WSNs is analyzed based on the probability density evolution method(PDEM).Finally,the seismic serviceability of a real WSN in Mianzhu city is assessed to illustrate the method.The case study shows that randomness from the ground motions can obviously affect the leakage state and the probability density of the nodal head during earthquakes.

Empirical topological investigation of practical supply chains based on complex networks

The industrial supply chain networks basically capture the circulation of social resource, dominating the stability and efficiency of the industrial system. In this paper, we provide an empirical study of the topology of smartphone supply chain network. The supply chain network is constructed using open online data. Our experimental results show that the smartphone supply chain network has small-world feature with scale-free degree distribution, in which a few high degree nodes play a key role in the function and can effectively reduce the communication cost. We also detect the community structure to find the basic functional unit. It shows that information communication between nodes is crucial to improve the resource utilization. We should pay attention to the global resource configuration for such electronic production management.

Reliability supply chain network design model for perishable products

The classical supply chain network(SCN)design problem is extended,where the candidate facilities are subject to failure and the products are prone to elapsed time deteriorion.First,the reliable SCN design problem is defined by introducing the probability that a facility may be prone to inactivity based on the analysis of perishable product characteristics.The perishable product SCN design problem is formulated as a 0-1 integer programming model.The objective is to minimize the weighted sum of the operating cost(the fixed plus transportation cost)and the expected failure cost.And then,the perishable product SCN design model is discussed and solved using the genetic algorithm(GA).The results show how to generate the tradeoff curve between the operating costs and the expected failure costs.And these tradeoff curves demonstrate empirically that substantial improvements in reliability are often possible with minimal increase in the operating costs.

Multi-objective optimization of water supply network rehabilitation with non-dominated sorting Genetic Algorithm-II

Through the transformation of hydraulic constraints into the objective functions associated with a water supply network rehabilitation problem, a non-dominated sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II) can be used to solve the altered multi-objective optimization model. The introduction of NSGA-II into water supply network optimal rehabilitation problem solves the conflict between one fitness value of standard genetic algorithm (SGA) and multi-objectives of rehabilitation problem. And the uncertainties brought by using weight coefficients or punish functions in conventional methods are controlled. And also by in-troduction of artificial inducement mutation (AIM) operation, the convergence speed of population is accelerated;this operation not only improves the convergence speed, but also improves the rationality and feasibility of solutions.

Supply Chain Network Equilibrium with Revenue Sharing Contract under Demand Disruptions

Contract is a common and effective mechanism for supply chain coordination,which has been studied extensively in recent years.For a supply chain network model,contracts can be used to coordinate it because it is too ideal to obtain the network equilibrium state in practical market competition.In order to achieve equilibrium,we introduce revenue sharing contract into a supply chain network equilibrium model with random demand in this paper.Then,we investigate the influence on this network equilibrium state from demand disruptions caused by unexpected emergencies.When demand disruptions happen,the supply chain network equilibrium state will be broken and change to a new one,so the decision makers need to adjust the contract parameters to achieve the new coordinated state through bargaining.Finally,a numerical example with a sudden demand increase as a result of emergent event is provided for illustrative purposes.

Supply chain network equilibrium model with capacity constraints

The supply chain network with capacity constraints of manufacturers and retailers is considered.The linkage between supply chain network equilibrium and transportation network equilibrium is investigated.By analyzing the relationships among the manufacturers,retailers and consumers in the supply chain network and their own decisions concerning maximum profits,a combined variational inequality for the supply chain network equilibrium mode is proposed.Then an equivalent supernetwork of the supply chain network is constructed by adding additional links which denote the producing of manufactures and the handling of retailers.By the supernetwork,the supply chain network equilibrium model can be reformulated as a transportation network equilibrium model.Equivalent mathematical programming is,therefore,obtained based on the principle of a Wardrop user equilibrium.The corresponding Lagrange multiplier of the capacity constraints can be explained as the extra cost of marginal production when capacity is exceeded.A numerical example is given to illustrate the rationality of the model and the validity of the results.

Functionality analysis of an urban water supply network after strong earthquakes

An urban water supply network(WSN)is a crucial lifeline system that helps to maintain the normal functioning of modern society.However,the hydraulic analysis of a significantly damaged WSN that suffers from pipe breaks or leaks remains challenging.In this paper,a probability-based framework is proposed to assess the functionality of WSNs in the aftermath of powerful earthquakes.The serviceability of the WSN is quantified by using a comprehensive index that considers nodal water flow and nodal pressure.This index includes a coefficient that reflects the relative importance of these two parameters.The demand reduction(DR)method,which reduces the water flow of nodes while preventing the negative pressure of nodes,is proposed.The difference between the negative pressure elimination(NPE)method and the DR method is discussed by using the example of a WSN in a medium-sized city in China.The functionality values of the WSN are 0.76 and 0.99 when nodal pressure and nodal demands are used respectively as the index of system serviceability at an intensity level that would pertain to an earthquake considered to occur at a maximum level.When the intensity of ground motion is as high as 0.4 g,the DR method requires fewer samples than the NPE method to obtain accurate results.The NPE method eliminates most of the pipes,which may be unrealistic.

Closed-loop supply chain network equilibrium strategy model with environmental protection objectives

With the increasing popularity of ecological civilization and sustainable development,enterprises should consider environmental protection measures in their operations in addition to pursue their economic interests.This paper establsihes a closed-loop supply chain network model composed of multiple suppliers,manufacturers,retailers,recyclers,and demand markets—regarding their dual goals of the profit maximization and the minimization of carbon emissions.The conditions necessary for establishing overall equilibrium and an equilibrium model of the entire closed-loop supply chain network are determined by applying variational inequality and dual theory.A modified projection contraction algorithm is used to design a model-solving program.Finally,using numerical examples,the paper conducts a comparative static analysis on important parameters such as the weight coefficients of environmental protection objectives and consumers'awareness of low-carbon environmental protection and attains some beneficial enlightenment on management.The results indicate that when the environmental protection objectives of a certain type of enterprise increases,both the economic benefits and environmental protection performance will improve;when the environmental protection objectives of all enterprises increases simultaneously,environmental protection performance improves significantly,but the changes in economic benefits of different enterprises are inconsistent and profit coordination is more complex.Although consumers’awareness of low-carbon preference could improve environmental performance,it reduces the overall profits of network members and the entire closed-loop supply chain network as a whole.The above conclusions can be used as a reference for the government in designing low-carbon environmental protection policy and in closed-loop supply chain research.

Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)to Optimize the Service in a Water Supply Network

Decision making in drinking water supply networks is increasingly complex due to the large number of variables involved.In order to make better decisions it is necessary to use adequate and robust methodologies.This paper presents the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)related to the operation of the drinking water supply network of the city of Chihuahua,Mexico,where two possible alternatives are delineated with the objective to optimize the service.The application of AHP was carried out in 24 sectors that have substantial differences in their efficiency but with instrumentation and measurement in all the variables contemplated by the operating agency,with a population of 221,722 inhabitants which represent a 30%of the total population of the city,the results indicate that the best alternative is the one with less criteria to be controlled and fewer repercussions on the cost of operation and investment in the rehabilitation and replacement of the network.

ZTE to Supply Bearer Network Solution to Finnet Group

ZTE Corporation, a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, announced an agreement with Westlink part of the Finish telecommunications group Finnet, to supply a unified multi-service metro bearer solution on February 18, 2010.

Supply Community Network:A Taxonomy of Flow Dimensions

Supply chain management(SCM)and its associated activities continue to evolve as new communication technologies and cooperative efforts emerge to facilitate system-wide process integration;the context within which supply chains(SCs)operate,the technologies,and performance enhancement mechanisms have all changed.Thus,linear-based SCs are increasingly being challenged as firms look towards a more networked approach to maximize performance amid growing market dynamics.This paper,however,recognizing inherent similarities between social structure of Social Internet of Things(SIoT)principles and what we term supply community networks(SCN)from literature,seeks to cross-pollinate the two in a way capable of dealing with these market dynamics.Our contribution is,therefore,a new‘setting’of social relationships between supply community agents(SCA)within SCN mirroring interactions played out in the physical world;SCAs autonomously sense each other,exchange information and interact within SCN mimicking the behavior of humans.Also,it identifies the bounds of flow,i.e.all possible dimensions within a SCN which need to be understood to support relationship management.Therefore,communications are improved,sharpening SCAs synchronization in a way responsive to customer needs.

Risk Management Situation and Strategic Analysis of Supply Chains of Small and Medium Enterprises in Luzhou Liquor Industry Development Zone

After entering the information-based society, profound reform has happened in the business pattern of enterprises, and thecompetitive mode between traditional enterprises has been transformed into the competition between supply chains in nowadays. The liquorindustry in Luzhou is the pillar industry of economy, which involves “Luzhou Old Cellar”, “Ichiro Liquor”and other large-scale enterpriseswith well-known brands. Besides, many small and medium-sized enterprises are developing and flourishing in Luzhou. Compared with thedevelopment of large enterprises, the development of small and medium sized enterprises has more uncertainty and risks. At present, Luzhou Cityis setting about to build Huangyi into a liquor centralized zone, which is also a clusterization strategy for industry development of Luzhou liquor.For Luzhou Liquor Zone, the implementation of supply chain management of small and medium-sized enterprises can greatly reduce the cost ofenterprises and improve effi ciency of operation. The growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Luzhou Liquor Zone andthe promotion of advantages of industrial clusters are closely related to the risks of the supply chain.

Intelligent Examination Monitoring and Maintenance for the Safety of Operation of Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Based on the system of electric power supply for flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), a study has been carried out on the intelligent safety examination, monitoring and maintenance of its running environment. On the basis of the specific feature of the power supply network of an FMS, real time monitoring system of the power supply network and the fault diagnostic expert system for the power equipment have been designed. This system can diagnose not only definite fault phenomena, but also fuzzy, uncertain fault phenomena as well. Fault diagnostic knowledge base for the power equipment has been founded hierarchy architecture model and the method of fault tree analysis. Feasibility of this system has been proved by computer simulation.

Improved Water Network Macroscopic Model Utilising Auto-Control Adjusting Valve by PLS

In order to overcome the low precision and weak applicability problems of the current municipal water network state simulation model, the water network structure is studied. Since the telemetry system has been applied increasingly in the water network, and in order to reflect the network operational condition more accurately, a new water network macroscopic model is developed by taking the auto-control adjusting valve opening state into consideration. Then for highly correlated or collinear independent variables in the model, the partial least squares (PLS) regression method provides a model solution which can distinguish between the system information and the noisy data. Finally, a hypothetical water network is introduced for validating the model. The simulation results show that the relative error is less than 5.2%, indicating that the model is efficient and feasible, and has better generalization performance.

Industry 4.0: Revolution or Evolution?

“Industry 4.0” term is devoted to the fourth industrial revolution. Over time and by developing different technologies, this term is coming with the new paradigm and technologies, which help to connect the machines, products, and methods as an interconnected system. This paper aims to introduce an analysis and a reflection around the concepts industry 4.0 and their impacts in the actual industrial world. The effects of this digitalization will be investigated on supply chain systems, decision-making processes, and business models. The classic supply chain is evolving into a Network Supply System (NSS) that is an interconnected supply chain with more focus on product and customer expectations. The global value chain process tends to be product-oriented. Smart data make the decisions more dynamic, flexible, and precise. Therefore, every industrial sector has to be adapted to this digital transformation in all aspects. However, the environmental aspects, global warming, and human healthcare issues are the challenge facing industries and human life, which can be like a brake to make efforts to improve digital life and machine technicity. This paper tries to produce a critical analysis of the concept “industry 4.0 revolution” based on different guidelines to show that it is an evolution of the industry coming through the development of several technologies.

New Situation of China Natural Gas Industry

China natural gas industry is at a turning point. Growth of mid-long term natural gas consumption may maintain at about 10%, supply is sufficient or even "over-sufficient", natural gas price will be determined by competition, oil and gas pipeline facilities will be opened fairly, and private enterprises will play important roles in natural gas exploration, development, storage, transportation, and trade. It can been foreseen that China natural gas industry is very likely to take a turn in next 10 years, and a modern natural gas market with consumption about 500 billion cubic meters will come into being characterized by complete supervision system, diversified market, steady supply, fairly opened pipelines, transparent trading mechanism, and competitive prices.

Seismic vulnerability assessment of water supply network in Tianjin, China

The water supply network （WSN） system is a critical element of civil infrastructure systems. Its complexity of operation and high number of components mean that all parts of the system cannot be simply assessed. Earthquakes are the most serious natural hazard to a WSN, and seismic risk assessment is essential to identify its vulnerability to different stages of damage and ensure the system safety. In this paper, using a WSN located in the airport area of Tianjin in northern China as a case study, a quantitative vulnerability assessment method was used to assess the damage that the water supply pipelines would suffer in an earthquake, and the finite element software ABAQUS and fuzzy mathematic theory were adopted to construct the assessment method. ABAQUS was applied to simulate the seismic damage to pipe segments and components of the WSN. Membership functions based on fuzzy theory were established to calculate the membership of the components in the system. However, to consider the vulnerability of the whole system, fuzzy cluster analysis was used to distinguish the importance of pipe segments and components. Finally, the vulnerability was quantified by these functions. The proposed methodology aims to assess the performance of WSNs based on pipe vulnerabilities that are simulated and calculated by the model and the mathematical method based on data of damage. In this study, a whole seismic vulnerability assessment method for a WSN was built, and these analyses are expected to provide necessary information for a mitigation plan in an earthquake disaster.

Supply chain network design under uncertainty with new insights from contracts

In this paper, the classical problem of supply chain network design is reconsidered to emphasize the role of contracts in uncertain environments. The supply chain addressed consists of four layers: suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses, and customers acting within a single period. The single owner of the manufacturing plants signs a contract with each of the suppliers to satisfy demand from downstream. Available contracts consist of long-term and option contracts, and unmet demand is satisfied by purchasing from the spot market. In this supply chain, customer demand, supplier capacity, plants and warehouses, transportation costs, and spot prices are uncertain. Two models are proposed here: a risk-neutral two-stage stochastic model and a risk-averse model that considers risk measures. A solution strategy based on sample average approximation is then proposed to handle large scale problems. Extensive computational studies prove the important role of contracts in the design process, especially a portfolio of contracts. For instance, we show that long-term contract alone has similar impacts to having no contracts, and that option contract alone gives inferior results to a combination of option and long-term contracts. We also show that the proposed solution methodology is able to obtain good quality solutions for large scale problems.

Modeling an Evolving Complex Supply Network

Building a good supply network has a competitive advantage in every part of business. However, people rarely know the principles from which supply chain with complex organizational structure and function arise and develop. In this paper, we develop an evolving supply network model by using complex network theory. We mainly consider three kinds of firms＇ behaviors： entering of new firms, adding new relationships and rewiring of relationships among firms. By analyzing the statistical characteristics of the evolutionary dynamics of supply network, we find that the degree distribution follows a power-law distribution. Therefore, a supply network is a scale-free network where few but significant firms have lots of connections （called ＂hub＂ or core firm）, while most firms have few connections. These results are consistent with the results in empirical researches, which will be very useful for designing a robust and effective supply network.