Cost Weighted Raster Analysis

Project Requirements

2006-12-24T18:04:00.000-08:00

Project:
Construct a connection railway line between two major tracks to relieve traveling distances and congestion.

Criteria:
- Select shortest possible route to reduce costs.
- Minimize construction time by avoiding areas such as residential locations, commercial zones.
- Optimize construction effort through flat terrain selection processes.

Data required for project:
- Digital Elevation Models (DEM), Slope/Aspect data and Landuse classification layer.

Process:
- Slope data will be derived from the DEM and reclassified according to project requirements.
- Landuse layer reclassified on similar scale as slope data.
- Cost-weighted analysis will be performed on the cost surfaces to produce cost direction and cost distance.
- Least Cost Path Analysis will be performed on an output surface created by combining cost distance and cost direction layers.

Concept Model

2006-12-21T21:53:00.000-08:00

Conceptual model illustrating the process involved in establishng least cost path/track

Digital Elevation Model

2006-12-21T21:52:00.000-08:00

Elevation data plays a vital role in any type of construction. Aspect and slope data can be extracted from this data-set.

Landuse Reclassification

2006-12-21T21:51:00.000-08:00

Instead of identifying specific land uses I have relassified the data into a common scale.

Slope Reclassification

2006-12-21T21:49:00.000-08:00

The same reclassification process were done to the slope layer. The lower scaled values represents flat terrain which is important in reducing construction costs.

Combined Costs

2006-12-20T17:30:00.000-08:00

Slope and Landuse reclass layers were combined creating a new "cost layer". Its impotant that both layers were reclassed on the same scale.

Cost Distance Analysis

2006-12-20T17:29:00.000-08:00

In this analysis is clear that cost increases with distance starting at the lower station going towards to upper station.

Costs Direction Analysis

2006-12-20T17:27:00.000-08:00

As noted in this analysis of Cost Direction, cost increases if construction will the algorithm selects a path in the opposite direction of the planned train station and thus selecting the least cost direction.

New Track

2006-12-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

After applying the least cost algorithm in the analysis its clear that the new track is the shortest possible and flattest possible route between the two stations and also avoiding specific land uses.

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