I. Lippai , J. P. Heaney, and M. Laguna
Computing in Civil Engineering, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 135-143 (1999)
Intelligent search based optimizers have shown promise in providing improved links between analysis and design. Genetic algorithm based optimizers are often used but other heuristic methods, such as Tabu search have also been used with good results. A major impediment to using heuristic search methods has been the lack of user friendly commercially available software. This is no longer the case due to the availability of several commercial intelligent search based optimizers. Robust analysis and optimization of a water distribution network is demonstrated with four commercial optimizers.
The hydraulic analysis is performed with WinPipes.EXE, a windows program based on the EPANET source code. Penalties for constraint violations are used to evaluate and include the impact of normal demand, fire protection, reliability, operation and maintenance, and uncertainties of supply and demand. The method is demonstrated by optimizing the New York City Water Supply Tunnel (NYCWST) problem, and by the optimal design of a 15-loop, Almos water distribution system. The method is robust because it uses reliable and efficient commercial optimizers, a popular pipe network simulator, and constraint penalties to meet the multiple goals of a reliable, low cost water distribution system, capable of meeting maximum hour demands and fire flow demands.
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