A Simulation-Optimization Approach for Reducing Seepage Rate in Water Conveyance Canals

The optimal design of water conveyance canal sections is one of the guidelines in management of water resources. Design of canal section with minimum loss of water is to consider minimizing seepage and evaporation under uniform flow condition. So far, the optimal design of canal sections was based on inaccurate estimates of seepage rate which needs to be revised. In this study, the seepage from a canal in miscellenouse conditions was modeled using SEEP/W software. The accurate soft model between input and output data was then extracted. Comparing the extracted soft model with other empirical equation, indicate the high accuracy of the selected soft model. This model were then used in optimization process with the aim of minimizing the canal water loss. The results are presented in terms of dimensionless graphs which made a simple design of canal dimensions possible. Comparing the results with other similar studies indicated the significant changes in optimal canal dimension.