Optimal Barrage Design based on Subsurface Flow Considerations

Abstract

A barrage, a structure across a river to divert flow into a man-made channel, is designed to satisfy surface and subsurface flow considerations. There is, however, no procedure to fix the basic barrage parameters, which are depth of sheet piles/cutoffs and the length and thickness of floor, in a cost-effective manner. A method for minimizing the cost of a barrage using an optimization technique is presented in this paper. The applicability of the approach has been illustrated with two examples indicating it’s suitability to evolve a cost-effective design. A parametric analysis has also been carried out to gain insight into the effects of various parameters on the optimal design barrage.