TABLE OF CONTENTS Kevin E.Lansey
Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ
A common design process for a water distribution system is trial and error. An engineer selects alternative designs and simulates these designs using a network solver (see Chap. 12). Because of the complex interactions between components, identifying changes to improve a design can be difficult even for mid-sized systems, In addition, this approach does not provide assurance that a good, let alone optimal, solution has been determined. Thus, significant research effort has been placed in developing approaches to solve for optimal designs of distribution systems with some success. However, given the complexity of the problem and the limitations of mathematical programming tools, the complete problem has not been resolved. This chapter is a brief overview of the general directions of this research, and it highlights representative work in the area. Other reviews can be found in Goulter (1987, 1992), Walski (1985), and Walters (1988).
When designing or rehabilitating a water distribution system using trial-and-error methods or with formal optimization tools, a broad range of concerns can be considered. Cost is likely to be the primary emphasis and includes the costs for construction, operation, and maintenance. The initial capital investment is for system components: pipes, pumps, tanks, and valves. Energy consumption occurs over time to operate the system. The main constraints are that the desired demands are supplied with adequate pressure head being maintained at withdrawal locations. Also, the flow of water...
