Calibration of a conceptual rainfall-runoff model using simulated annealing

Simulated annealing (Kirkpatrick et al, 1983) is used to estimate the parameters of a mathematical model that predicts the water yield from a catchment. The calibration problem involves finding the global minimum of a multivariate function that has many extraneous local minima, a situation in which conventional optimisation methods are ineffective. The objective function which quantifies discrepancies between the computed and observed streamflows must be carefully selected to satisfy the least square assumptions. Several published simulated annealing algorithms have been implemented, tested and evaluated using standard test functions. Appropriate cooling schedules are found for each algorithm and test function investigated. The number of function evaluations required to find the minimum is compared to published results for the test functions using either simulated annealing and other global optimisation methods. A new simulated annealing algorithm based on the Hooke and Jeeves (1961) pattern search method is developed and compared with existing algorithms from the literature.

Grantor dc:publisher

Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia

Year dc:date

1995

Author dc:creator

• Sumner, Neil R.

• Mathematical models
• Simulated annealing
• Mathematics
• Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Repository record dc:identifier

https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1169

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ro.ecu.edu.au:theses-2170