Optimal Design of Water Distribution Networks Using Parameter-Setting-Free Harmony Search for Two Major Parameters

Abstract

Although phenomenon-mimicking or metaheuristic algorithms, such as genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, tabu search, shuffled frog-leaping algorithm, ant colony optimization algorithm, harmony search, cross entropy, scatter search, hybrid particle swarm optimization, and honeybee mating optimization, have overcome the disadvantages of gradient-based algorithms when optimally designing water distribution networks, those algorithms require the extra tedious task of algorithm parameter setting. This study proposes a novel parameter-setting-free technique for two major algorithm parameters (HMCR and PAR) and combines it with the harmony search algorithm. When the proposed model is applied to the optimal design of a popular benchmark problem, it reaches the global optimum with good results. Thus, the technique is expected to be used in the real-world design process under a more user-friendly environment.