The transfer of infiltration measurement results to other sewers by means of discriminant analysis

The cost-oriented and sustainable operation of sewer systems requires a comprehensive knowledge about the infiltration situation in the catchment. Owing to the high expenditures for infiltration measurements a reliable transfer of measurement results to other sewer sections would be highly beneficial. Assuming a functional relationship between sewer characteristics and infiltration rates can be identified, such a transfer can be realised by means of classification techniques. In this paper a method is introduced which is based on discriminant analysis and which allows for a transfer of measurement results to similar sub-catchments. The method was applied using two data sets with measured or virtual infiltration rates. It yields acceptable results as a total fraction of 50% to 75% of the investigated sub-catchments was assigned correctly. Furthermore, additional information to assess the results was provided. The quality of the transfer results depends strongly on the homogeneity of the considered sub-catchments. Due to this restriction the practical applicability of the method is restricted. Nevertheless, it might be used as a screening procedure for planning of effective detailed infiltration investigations.