Conflict resolution in the multi-stakeholder stepped spillway design under uncertainty by machine learning techniques

Abstract The optimal spillway design is of great significance since these structures can reduce erosion downstream of the dams. This study proposes a risk-based optimization framework for a stepped spillway to achieve an economical design scenario with the minimum loss in hydraulic performance. Accordingly, the stepped spillway was simulated in the FLOW-3D® model, and the validated model was repeatedly performed for various geometric states. The results were used to form a Multilayer Perceptron artificial neural network (MLP-ANN) surrogate model. Then, a risk-based optimization model was formed by coupling the MLP-ANN and NSGA-II. The concept of conditional value at risk (CVaR) was utilized…