Optimal Design of Water Transmission Pipelines Using a Metaheuristic Algorithm and Geoprocessing Techniques

Traditionally, the various components of water supply systems have been designed using trial-and-error techniques guided by designers’ experience. While these conventional methods can be effective in certain cases, they often lead to suboptimal solutions. Advances in computational modeling have enabled the development of more accurate and cost-effective solutions by integrating geospatial data, hydraulic constraints, and economic factors into the decision-making process. This study proposes a metaheuristic technique for optimizing pipeline routes, enhancing the traditional A-Star algorithm. The developed method, named Modified A-Star for Pipeline Routing (MAPR), operates within a specific search space, considering key variables that influence the determination of the optimal route. MAPR minimizes total costs associated with construction and energy consumption by incorporating a multiplier coefficient that adjusts the relative importance of different trajectories. This adjustment accelerates convergence to the water delivery point while accounting for cost variations. Simulation results demonstrate MAPR’s effectiveness in generating cost-efficient layouts across different terrains and pipeline configurations. Notably, the best simulation results were achieved when the Destiny Way coefficient, which balances the importance of displacement toward the destination against the costs, was set to 1.0. At this value, an equilibrium is achieved, ensuring that no cost component is disproportionately prioritized. MAPR proves to be a valuable tool for the automatic determination of optimal pipeline routes, reducing subjectivity in design while minimizing both implementation and operational costs. These characteristics make it a promising approach for the design of real-world water supply systems.