Optimal Design of Concrete Canal Section for Minimizing Overall Costs using Artificial Ecosystem Optimization

Aya M. Elkhouly, Irrigation & Hydraulics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptFollow
Hamdy A. El-Ghandour, Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Damietta University, New Damietta 34517, Egypt.
Tharwat Sarhan, Irrigation & Hydraulics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt.
Mahmoud E. Abd-Elmaboud, Irrigation & Hydraulics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt

Subject Area

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

The optimal design of concrete-lined canals represents a critical challenge in hydraulic engineering, requiring simultaneous minimization of construction and operational costs while satisfying hydraulic performance constraints. This study presents a novel optimization framework that utilizes the Artificial Ecosystem-based Optimization (AEO) algorithm for determining optimal canal cross-sectional dimensions. The proposed methodology comprehensively considers excavation costs, lining expenses, and water losses due to seepage and evaporation while ensuring hydraulic efficiency through velocity and Froude number constraints. The AEO algorithm mimics natural ecosystem processes through production, consumption, and decomposition phases to efficiently explore the design space and converge to global optima. The framework was applied to rectangular, trapezoidal, and triangular canal sections and validated against established optimization techniques, including Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Probabilistic Global Search Lausanne (PGSL). Verification results demonstrated the AEO model's superior constraint satisfaction capabilities, achieving exact discharge requirements across all test scenarios while maintaining competitive economic performance with cost improvements ranging from 0.02% to 6.2%. Furthermore, comprehensive design charts were developed for various geometric and hydraulic parameters to facilitate the rapid determination of optimal canal dimensions under diverse hydraulic and economic conditions. The proposed framework was successfully applied to selected canals in Temmi Al-Amdid Region, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, demonstrating its practical engineering applicability. The AEO-based optimization approach provides engineers with a powerful and reliable tool for cost-effective canal design while ensuring hydraulic performance and structural integrity.

Keywords

Canals Lining; Concrete canal design; Artificial Ecosystem Optimization (AEO); Water loss minimization; Seepage and evaporation; Hydraulic constraints; Cost optimization; Irrigation canals

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Elkhouly, Aya M.; El-Ghandour, Hamdy A.; Sarhan, Tharwat; and Abd-Elmaboud, Mahmoud E. (2026) "Optimal Design of Concrete Canal Section for Minimizing Overall Costs using Artificial Ecosystem Optimization," Mansoura Engineering Journal: Vol. 51 : Iss. 5 , Article 19.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.58491/2735-4202.3458

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