An Yogeswaran, Theivanayagam creator Fujiwara, Okitsugu Chairperson Oudheusden, Dirk L. Van Examination Committee Orth, Hermann M. Examination Committee Carl Duisberg Gesellschafte Scholarship Donor text series technical report th Bangkok Asian Institute of Technology 1983 continuing eng iv, 22, A-4, B-8, C-12 p. A method is developed for the optimal design of single source, looped gravity fed water distribution systems subjected to a s ingle loading pattern .This method is based on a recent development in the field of looped water distribution systems , so called linear programming gradient (LPG) method ,due to the work of Aleprovits and Shamir ( 1) {u2022} The LPG method has the following drawbacks: the final solution depends much on the starting flow pattern , and the solution does not necessarily terminate at a local minimum point. Our new method strengthens the LPG method in the following aspects: to eliminate high cost flow patterns for the initial solution in a systematic manner, and to modify the stepsize calculation to arrive at a local optimum solution. This new method is applied to the test problem in (2) and a local optimal solution of cost $408,114 is obtained, which is a considerable improvement compared to the solution of $443,031 obtained in (2). ----------- ( 1 ) Aleprovits a nd Shamir ( 1977) " Design of optimal water distribution systems ", Water resources research, Vol13 pp 885-900 (2 ) Quindry. G.E ; Brill, E.D.; Liebman, J.C and Robison, A . , (1 979) "Comments on design of optimal water distribution systems" by Water Resources research. Vol 15 pp 987-990 A research study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology Research Studies Project Report (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1983 Water Distribution Mathematical models Asian Institute of Technology. http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B20904 http://203.159.5.9/ait-thesis/detail.php?q=B20904 121095 20260817162112.0