Automating utility route design and planning through GIS

In trench construction, one of the tasks for engineers is to select a suita ble route to minimize construction cost and obstructions. This paper discus ses the development of a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based system to automate the process of routing and design of an underground power suppl y system. In the system, surface and underground utilities are represented in several coverages. Using network analysis, the system determines the opt imal paths for routing the utilities. Through database queries and spatial operations, the construction conflict points between the basic coverages an d the selected route are not only identified, but a reallocation schedule i s also determined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.