The analysis of hydraulic transients has progressed substantially over the past three centuries, from early formulations by Newton and Euler to modern numerical models. This work presents a historical synthesis of key theoretical developments in transient flow modelling, including the Method of Characteristics and simplifications such as the Rigid Water Column Model (RWCM).

Building on this foundation, a structured evaluation matrix was developed to support the selection of simulation software for pressurised systems with hydro-pneumatic protection. This method combines technical, operational, and resource-based criteria to assess several software packages and guide engineers in choosing tools suited to complex water networks.

Using this matrix, the ALLIEVI software was selected to simulate a real-world case study with both RWCM and the Elastic Water Column Method (EWCM). Results show that RWCM can reduce computation time by over 70% compared to EWCM, with acceptable accuracy when protective devices are present. However, in unprotected systems, it may underestimate critical conditions.

To complement the simulations, a Coarse Tree machine learning model was trained on the results. It successfully classified risk conditions such as overpressure or sub-atmospheric events, achieving up to 100% accuracy in elastic model scenarios.

These findings offer practical guidance for engineers operating under design or computational constraints and identify scenarios where simplified models remain reliable.