NetOD: A GA-Based Decision Support System for Optimization and Uncertainty Analysis of Water Distribution Networks

Water distribution networks (WDNs) are one of the most important and expensive infrastructures in cities. There are no efficient decision-making results when using only economical aspect in WDNs optimization problems. Therefore many researchers try to define indexes and using multi-objective optimization models in order to consider other aspects like reliability. However, most of the methods developed in this field, due to inefficiency or computational complexity, are rarely used in practice by design engineers. In this study, a comprehensive and flexible GA-based Decision Support System (DSS) model for optimization and uncertainty analysis of WDNs has been presented by using GA and EPANET called NetOD. Since the hydraulic failure is more important than mechanical failure, an uncertainty analysis as a post processing step has been used instead of reliability index. The model performance has been investigated by an example witch shows that uncertainty analysis enhances the practical aspects of WDNs design and operation.

Keywords:

DSS , WDNs , Genetic Algorithm , Optimization , Uncertainty Analysis