CHAPTER 6

Systems Techniques inWater Resources

Contents…
Optimization
Use of optimization
Introduction to Linear Programming
 Concept of Linear Programming Models
Requirements of linear programming
Formulation of linear programming problems
 6.1 Optimization
 The term optimization is a mathematical process of determining
the maximum and minimum values of a given linear
programming model subject to a number of given constraints
with non-negativity conditions.

Optimization is the science of choosing the best amongst a

number of possible alternatives.
 More generally, optimization includes finding the best available values of the
objective function given a defined boundary.

6.1.1 Use of optimization

In most engineering problems, decisions need to be made to optimize (i.e.,

minimize or maximize) an appropriate physical or economic measure. For
example, we may want to design a reservoir at a site with known inflows for
meeting known water demands, such that the reservoir capacity is minimum, or
we may be interested in locating wells in a region such that the aquifer draw-
down is minimum for a given pumping pattern. So, optimization use to solve
An optimization problem consists of:

(a) An objective function which is a mathematical function of

decision variables, that needs to be optimized

(b) A set of constraints that represents some physical (or other)

conditions to be met and
(c) Decision variables are the variables for which decisions are
required such that the objective function is optimized subject to the
constraints.
A general optimization problem may be expressed mathematically as
Maximize f(x)
Subject to
gj(x) ≤ 0 j = 1, 2, … m

where, x is a vector of decision variables, x = [x 1, x2, …. xn].

 In this general problem there are n decision variables (x1, x2, x3, … xn) and m
constraints.
 The complexity of the problem varies depending on the nature of the
function f(x), the constraint functions gj(x) and the number of variables and
The principal optimization techniques are:

a) Linear Programming

b) Nonlinear Programming

c) Goal Programming

d) Dynamic Programming and etc.

6.2 Introduction to Linear Programming
 The origin of linear programming has been traced to the period of the
Second World War which prevailed between 1939 and 1945 for materials
management, equipment, personnel and area of coverage control and wise
use of scares resources.
 Globally, linear programming has become the most popular mathematical
technique applied in the allocation of scarce resources.
 Liner programming may be classified as the most popular optimization
technique used ever in water resources systems planning.
 6.2.1 Concept of Linear Programming Models
 Linear programming can be defined as planning to maximize profits, benefits, or
minimize loss and wastes in any given system with the variables having exponent
value of one.
 The term programming means the planning, that can lead to the maximization and
minimization of the goals and objectives while the linear denotes that the power of
the process or equation variable of one.
 Linear programming comes in forms of mathematical formulations of processes and
called linear programming problems or optimization problems and it is mathematical
technique for determining a way to achieve the best outcome in a given mathematical
A linear programming model consists of

An objectives function to be maximized or minimized

A set of constraints

Decision variables

Linearity among all constraint relationships and the objective

function
 6.2.2 Requirements of linear programming
 LP is specifically recognized in its high potency in solving problems which involve
allocation of scarce resources.
 Apart from its unique role in the allocation of scarce resources, LP can be applied in
such areas of robotics (artificial intelligence), analysis, population dynamics, spread of
infectious diseases (AIDs) in biology, planning of production units in Chemical
Engineering, waste disposal in cities, power supply network optimization in Electrical
Engineering, prediction of oil or ore deposits and earthquake in Geosciences, stability
of structures and structural optimization in Civil Engineering etc (Agunwamba,2007).
 LP can also be applied in the use of materials, transportation engineering, industries,
nutrition and dietetics.
Count..
Linear programming finds many uses in the business and industry,
where a decision maker may want to utilize limited available resources
in the best possible manner. The limited resources may include material,
money, manpower, space and time. Linear Programming provides
various methods of solving such problems.
 6.3 Formulation of linear programming problems
The term formulation is used in optimization in which formulation refers to the process
of converting the verbal descriptions and numerical data into mathematical expressions,
which represents the relationships among relevant decision variables (or factors),
objective and restrictions (constraints), on the use of resources such as labour, material,
machine, time, warehouse space, capital, energy etc., to several competing activities,
such as products, services jobs, new equipment, projects etc., on the basis of a given
criterion of optimality.
Step in Formulation of an LP Model
The three basic steps in constructing an LP model are:
Identify the decision variables and represent them in terms of algebraic symbols.
Identify all the restrictions or constraints in the problem and express them as
equations or inequalities which are linear functions of the decision variables.
Identify the objective or criterion which is to be either maximized or minimized,
 6.4 Solution of Linear Programming Problems
6.4.1 Methods of Solving Linear Programming Problems

Linear programming problems are solved through the following

methods:

(a) Graphical Method

(b) Simplex Method

(c) Computer based Method

(a) Graphical Method of LP Problem
 If the LP problem has only two decision variables in its objective function and
constraints then a such LP problem can be solved using graphical method.
 Hence the graphical method cannot be used for models that have three or more
variables.
 The graphical method is therefore not an efficient method of solving real-life
linear programming problems.
 The graphical method consists of graphing the structural constraints and thereby
determining the region of feasible solution.
The graphical method of solving linear programming problems is
prosecuted under two approaches namely;

(i) Corner Point Approach

(ii) Iso-profit or Iso-Cost Approach.

(i)Corner Point Approach
The corner point is an approach that chooses its solutions through the analysis of coordinates of the vertices of the feasible
region and can be carried out through these steps:
Steps in Corner Point Approach
Step 1: Convert the inequations of the constraints to equations
Step 2: Assign x = 0 and y = 0 in each of the constraint equations to obtain two points for the drawing of graph for each
constraint equation.
Steps 3: Draw the graphs of the constraint equations and observe the plane of exclusion from the feasible region. Note whether
the half plane of the graph chosen is near the origin or not, by observing if the substitution of x and y by zero (x = 0 and y = 0)
in the equation satisfies the inequation. If the in equation is satisfied the feasible region is near the origin (0,0) but if not, it is on
the other half of the plane.
Steps 4: All the domain or area satisfying the inequality constitutes the feasible region.
Steps 5: The extreme points or vertices (i.e. corner points) outlined by the feasible domain are solutions of the linear
programming problem.
Steps 6: Analyze the extreme points by substituting their coordinates in the objective function to obtain the maximum or
Steps in Solving linear programming problems
1. Read the problem. Then read Again!

2. Define variables

3. Find the objective quantity( this is what you are trying to min/max).

4. Find constraints(these are inequalities)

5. Graph the inequalities

6. Find all the corner points of your feasible region(solve a system!).

7. Test all corner points in your objective quantity(to find the max/min).

8. Answer the question in a sentence.

Example1:
Two crops are grown on a land of 200 ha. The cost of raising
crop 1 is 3 units/ha, while for crop 2 it is 1 unit/ha. The benefit
from crop 1 is 5 units/ha and from crop 2, it is 2 units/ha. A
total of 300 units of money is available for raising both crops.
What should be the cropping plan (how much area for crop 1
and how much for crop 2) in order to maximize the total net
benefits?
Solution:
The net benefit of raising crop 1 = 5 – 3 = 2 unit/ha. The net benefit of
raising crop 2 = 2 – 1 = 1 unit/ha. Let x1 be the area of crop 1 in hectares
and x2 be that of crop 2, and z, the total net benefit.
Then the net benefit of raising both crops is 2x1 + x2. However, there are
two constraints. One limits the total cost of raising the two crops to 300,
and the other limits the total area of the two crops to 200 ha. These two
are the resource constraints.
Thus, the complete formulation of the problem is
maximize z = 2x1 + x2 (1)
subject to 3x1 + x2≤ 300
x1 + x2 ≤ 200 (2)
x1, x2 ≥ 0 non negativity
Equation (1) is the objective function and Eqs (2) are the constraints.
The non-negative constraints for x1 and x2 indicate that neither x1 nor x2
can physically be negative (area cannot be negative).
First, the feasibility region for the constraint set should be mapped. To
do this, plot the lines 3x1 + x2 = 300, x1 + x2 = 200, along with x1 = 0
and x2 = 0 as in Figure below. The region bounded by the non-negativity
constraints is the first quadrant in which x 1 ≥ 0 and x2 ≥ 0. The region
bounded by the constraint 3x1 + 2x2 ≤ 300 is the region OCD (it is easily
seen that since the origin x1 = 0, x2 = 0 satisfies this constraint, the
region to the left of the line CD in which the origin lies is the feasible
region for this constraint). Similarly, the region OAB is the feasible
region for the constraint x1 + x2 ≤ 200.
Solve the following LPP by
graphical method
a) Sketch the graph
Minimize Z = 20X1 + 40X2
b) Determine the corner points
Subject to constraints c) Locate the feasible region
d) Determine the minimum out put
36X1 + 6X2 ≥ 108 expected

3X1 + 12X2 ≥ 36

20X1 + 10X2 ≥ 100

X ,X ≥0
Example 2
Solve the following LPP by graphical method
Minimize Z = 20X1 + 40X2
Subject to constraints
36X1 + 6X2 ≥ 108
3X1 + 12X2 ≥ 36
20X1 + 10X2 ≥ 100
X1, X 2 ≥ 0
The first constraint 36X1 + 6X2 ≥ 108 can be represented as follows.
We set 36X1 + 6X2 = 108
When X1 = 0 in the above constraint, we get, 36 x 0 + 6X 2 = 108
X2 = 108/6 = 18
Similarly, when X2 = 0 in the above constraint, we get,
36X1 + 6 x 0 = 108
X1 = 108/36 = 3
The second constraint 3X1 + 12X2 ≥ 36 can be represented as
follows,
We set 3X1 + 12X2 = 36
When X1 = 0 in the above constraint, we get, 3 x 0 + 12X 2 = 36
X2 = 36/12 = 3
Similarly, when X2 = 0 in the above constraint, we get,
3X1 + 12 x 0 = 36, X1 = 36/3 = 12
The third constraint 20X1 + 10X2 ≥ 100 can be represented as
follows,
When X1 = 0 in the above constraint, we get, 20 x 0 + 10X2 = 100; X2 = 100/10
= 10
Similarly, when X2 = 0 in the above constraint, we get, 20X1 + 10 x 0 = 100
X1 = 100/20 = 5
The Minimum cost is at point C When X1 = 4 and X2 = 2; Z = 160
Example solve by graphical method
Example 1: A snack bar cooks and sells hamburgers and hot dogs during football games.
To stay in business, it must sell at least 10 hamburgers but cannot cook more than 40. it
must also sell at least 30 hot dogs but cannot cook more than 70. it can not cook more than
90 sandwiches all together. The profit on a hamburger is Birr 15 and Birr 10 on a hot dog.
How many of each kind of sandwich should the stand sell to make the maximum profit?

Example 2: You are taking a test in which items of type A are worth 10 points and items of
type B are worth 15 points it takes 3minutes for each item of type A and 6 minutes for each
item of type B. total time allowed is 60 minutes, and you may not answer more than 16
questions. Assuming all your answers are correct, how many items of each type should you
answer in order to get the best score?
Example 3
A municipal water system which distributes water through the gravitation method suffers
inadequate pressure in her distribution system. Research conducted revealed that the
inadequacy in pressure could be remedied by introducing mechanical booster pumping
stations at the various housing estates of the municipality. The pressures expected by the
gravitation method and the mechanical pumping station in the entire municipality were
put at 2KN/m2 and 8KN/m2 respectively. The municipality has three housing estates A, B
and C. Housing Estate A is expected to have combined pressure of not more than
24KN/m2, Housing Estate B should have a pressure of not more than 132KN/m2 and
Housing Estate C will have a pressure of magnitude not less than 12KN/m 2. The pressure
combinations for the Housing Estates are shown in table below.
(a) From the above, formulate;
(i) Objective function
(ii) Constraints Assume non-negativity conditions.
(b) Minimize the linear programming problem, hence determine the
minimum pressure required in the municipality.