A multi-objective optimization framework for terrain modification based on a combined hydrological and earthwork cost-benefit

Abstract

The escalating risk of urban inundation has drawn increased attention to urban stormwater management. This study proposes a multi-objective optimization for terrain modification, combining the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) with digital elevation model (DEM)-based hydrological cost factor analysis. To reduce the precipitation erosive forces and runoff kinetic energy, the resulting framework offers the possibility of efficiently searching numerous solutions for trade-off sets that meet three conflicting objectives: minimizing maximum flow velocity, maximizing runoff path length and minimizing earthwork costs. Our application case study in H{\o}je Taastrup, Denmark, demonstrates the ability of the optimization framework to iteratively generate diversified modification scenarios, which form the reference for topography planning. The three individual objective preferred solutions, a balanced solution, and twenty solutions under regular ordering are selected and visualized to determine the limits of the optimization and the cost-effectiveness tendency. Integrating genetic algorithms with DEM-based hydrological analysis demonstrates the potential to consider more complicated hydrological benefit objectives with open-ended characteristics. It provides a novel and efficient way to optimize topographic characteristics for improving holistic stormwater management strategies.