DOI
https://doi.org/10.25772/1WTB-FS35
Defense Date
2010
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Mathematical Sciences
First Advisor
J. Paul Brooks
Second Advisor
Edward Boone
Third Advisor
Vijay Satyal
Abstract
The Middle Eastern region encompassing Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza) is an arid region with fast growing populations. Adequate and equitable access to water for all the people of the region is crucial to the future of Middle East peace. However, the current water distribution system not only fails to provide an adequate and equitable allocation of water, but also results adverse impacts on the environment. This project involves building a mathematical model to aid decision-makers in designing an optimal water distribution network. A new method for incorporating uncertainty in optimization that is based on Bayesian simulation of posterior predictive distributions is used to represent uncertainty in demands and costs. The output of the model is a most-probable least-cost modication to the existing water distribution infrastructure. Additionally, the model output includes the probability that a network component (new desalination plant, new pipe, new canal) is part of a least-cost installation.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
August 2010