Mitigation of Hydrogeological Risk Caused by Leakage in Urban Water Distribution Networks: Sensor Placement Optimization Methods

Water losses in urban water distribution networks not only represent a waste of a fundamental resource but also generate a further, often overlooked, negative impact: they act as territorial stress factors capable of triggering hydrogeological instability phenomena, such as ground settlements and sinkholes. The thesis focuses precisely on this second aspect, highlighting and addressing an anthropogenic risk that is frequently neglected and undervalued, yet proves to be a real and increasingly concerning threat to public safety, transport networks, and structural integrity, standing as one of the most subtle and insidious challenges of the modern urban context. To address this challenge, the study presents an innovative, integrated multidisciplinary framework designed to mitigate the Hydrogeological Disruption caused by Leaks (HDL) risk in urban water distribution networks. The proposed approach interconnects within a single operational framework components usually treated independently: territorial risk zoning, water leak localization, and pressure sensor placement optimization. Thanks to its modular nature, the methodology allows for the replacement of individual steps with higher-performing techniques or future evolutions based on specific problem requirements. The goal is to maximize leak localization accuracy in the most exposed and critical urban areas, providing the foundation for more targeted interventions aimed at mitigating the risk in question. The framework was tested on the Real Network 1 and L-Town case studies. The results demonstrate that integrating the HDL risk component promotes a more balanced and effective sensor distribution for urban territory protection. Such a configuration does not require significant deviations from classic hydraulic schemes, ensuring economic sustainability and ease of implementation for water utilities. In conclusion, this work proposes a flexible and scalable model to innovate water network management through a proactive approach toward urban hydrogeological disruptions, in line with modern sustainability paradigms. The added value lies in considering the network not as an isolated system, but as a significant factor for urban resilience, highlighting the hitherto neglected necessity of monitoring the interaction between hidden leaks and the stability of the urban fabric.