This study delves into the differences between incremental and optimized network design, with a focus on tree-shaped water distribution networks (WDNs). The study evaluates the cost overhead of incremental design under two distinct expansion models, random and gradual. Our findings reveal that while incremental design does incur a cost overhead, this overhead does not increase significantly as the network expands, especially under gradual expansion. We also evaluate the cost overhead for the two tree-shaped WDNs of a city in Cyprus. The paper underscores the need to consider the evolution of infrastructure networks, answering key questions about cost overhead, scalability, and design efficacy.
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