Optimal Operation of Bottom Outlets for Minimizing Reservoirs Sedimentation Using Continuous Genetic Algorithm

Sedimentation in dam reservoirs can have unfavorable effects on both dam and river. This phenomenon causes the reduction in useful volume of reservoirs، diminishing the dam stability، disorder in bottom outlets، intakes and penstocks function. To simulate the sedimentation in the reservoir، GSTARS3 software was used. To attain the optimum operation policy of the bottom outlets for minimizing the reservoir sedimentation، a computer program which had been written for this purpose was used. After calibrating this software for Voshmgir dam reservoir in Gorgan، the output results of running this software as a part of input data file were entered to an optimization model by an auxiliary computer program and after running the optimization model، results were converted to GSTARS3 as a part of the input data file by another auxiliary computer program. Then GSTARS3 was run again with the new data file which had been obtained from running the optimization model. The results of running GSTARS3 were transported to the optimization model once more. Data analyses accomplished in this cycle led to the desired accuracy. This problem of optimization is a constrained nonlinear programming and the penalty function method has been used to change it to a unconstrained problem. Then we used the continuous Genetic Algorithm (GA) method to solve the problem and operation of Voshmgir Dam.