HYDRAULIC FLOW

The analysis of hydraulic flow in looped pipe networks is a fundamental yet computationally intensive task in civil engineering, traditionally addressed using the Hardy Cross method. Manual application of this method, however, becomes increasingly time-consuming and error-prone as network complexity grows. This study aimed to develop and validate an efficient computational tool for automating the Hardy Cross method using the Python programming language. The primary objectives were to implement the iterative algorithm, model hydraulic networks via structured Excel input, and rigorously validate the program's accuracy against benchmark problems. The methodology involved designing a modular Python program that utilized the pandas and NumPy libraries for data handling and numerical computations. The implementation supported both the Darcy-Weisbach equation, with friction factors calculated via the Swamee-Jain formula, and the Hazen-Williams equation for head loss determination. Network data including pipe length, diameter, roughness, and initial flow rates were organized in an Excel workbook, with each worksheet representing a distinct loop. The core algorithm iteratively computed flow corrections (ΔQ) for each loop until convergence was achieved, dynamically handling missing parameters and common pipes shared between loops using a sparse matrix approach.