Computational issues for optimal in-situ bioremediation design

We have developed the first application of optimization techniques to the design of in-situ bioremediation, and have encountered a number of computational issues that have not arisen in previous efforts to optimize the design of pump-and-treat remediation. In this paper, these computational issues are discussed and a number of strategies for improving performance of the model are presented. The issues addressed include increased computational complexity, difficulties in convergence of the model, and convergence to local minima. The strategies developed will be useful for any application of optimization techniques to nonlinear processes in water resources.