Multi-objective particle swarm optimization applied to water distribution systems design: An approach with human interaction

  • Authors:
  • Idel Montalvo;JoaquíN Izquierdo;Silvia Schwarze;Rafael PéRez-GarcíA

  • Affiliations:
  • Instituto de Matemática Multidisciplinar, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain;Instituto de Matemática Multidisciplinar, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain;Institute of Information Systems, University of Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 5, 20146, Hamburg, Germany;Instituto de Matemática Multidisciplinar, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain

  • Venue:
  • Mathematical and Computer Modelling: An International Journal
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

Designers of optimal water distribution systems, as is the case with most optimization problems, must consider more than one objective and a number of constraints. In this paper, a multi-objective variant of the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is applied to water distribution system optimization. To improve its ability to find the Pareto front in such a multi-objective optimization problem, the PSO has to undergo some changes. Specifically addressed are the following: the way a particle decides what is a better position; the selection of the leader (which now takes into account the existence of different objectives); and the particles' abilities to clone themselves for increasing density when needed in the Pareto front. In addition, real-time human interaction allows better development of certain zones of the Pareto front. This new approach has been applied with excellent results to a benchmarking problem from the literature, and to a real-world case problem in water distribution system design. We believe that the same approach can also be applied without major changes to other multi-objective optimization problems.