BRIDGING BETWEEN ASSET MANAGERS AND ASSET OWNERS

BestNet

After the pipe replacement priority analysis, choices need to be made. What is the optimal investment budget for network renewal? What will be the impact in terms of risk reduction and performance improvement as a function of the replacement ratio? BestNet not only enables asset managers and asset owners to compare different scenarios but allows merging different pipe replacement models with SI-Rehab. So, apply BestNet and include your existing pipe replacement models instead of replacing them. When the prioritised list of pipes has been generated, an ambition value can be set to allow more or less pipes with a lower replacement priority to be included in the project. SI-Portfolio enables the asset manager to smoothly transfer the results to the execution department of the water utility.

The results will obviously depend heavily on the models used to calculate the risk of failure of each pipe segment. To make the results of BestNet robust, and to enable execution of sensitivity analyses, BestNet has the unique feature to merge different replacement models in adjustable ratios.

Screenshot of BestNet Scenarios

The user-interface of BestNet within SI-Platform

This makes BestNet unique

  • Combine multiple pipe replacement models in adjustable ratios
  • Compare the impact of investment scenarios
  • Create no-regret, comprehensive executable projects

BestNet runs three modules subsequently.

Combiner

This module shows all available risk models of the utility. These can be probability models like SI-Cluster and SI-Regression, effect models, or risk models like SI-Rehab. But also the existing pipe replacement models of clients can be integrated and compared with alternative models. Every model is a simplification of reality with its focus and its shortcomings. BestNet Combiner helps to use the most robust and representative combination of models to make optimal decisions.

Scenarios

BestNet Scenarios enables comparing the impact of different replacement schedules. Replacement can be defined as a certain replacement length or can be calculated based on a set goal (e.g. maximum number of outages allowed). We are aware that only replacing the worst pipes is challenging. The accepted level of the replacement of lower priority pipes can be adjusted. In several graphical outputs of single or multiple runs, the performance of the network will be predicted, decades ahead.

Project builder

When the list of pipes has been prioritised, in the Project builder module, optimal projects are created to be handed over to the engineers and the project execution department. Since the definition of optimal will be different for each water utility, in the Project builder the conditions can be tailored to the specific needs of the company, eg. bigger or smaller projects, and the accepted level of lower priorities pipes in a project.

Niek Bossers, Reliability Engineer Infra (Evides)
"BestNet helped me to show the board that their decisions now will have big consequences in the future."

Working with BestNet

BestNet can be installed as software on a cloud server within the domain of the client, or as ‘SaaS’-solution on the Azure server of Spatial Insight. In both cases the user will have intuitive screens to define the settings within the three modules, to run the calculations and to view the results in graphs, lists and/or a map. Exports can be made to Excel and pdf. The data connection will be configured according the utility’s preference, so either by exchanging files manually, or by setting up direct connections with the data sources.

Next step

BestNet can be installed as software or can be used as SaaS solution. Contact Janneke Moors to set-up a pilot project with BestNet based upon your existing pipe replacement model(s) or in addition with a SI-Rehab run.

CONTACT

Janneke Moors
Data scientist
HR responsible

+31 6 4219 7867

"Join our annual BestNet Users' Day and vote for the new functionality we will add"