The Esri Guide to GIS Analysis - Volume 3: Modeling Suitability, Movement, and Interaction

434 Pages·2012·35.352 MB·English

by  Andy Mitchell

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Modeling Suitability, Movement, and Interaction
The Esri Guide to GIS Analysis, Volume 3: Modeling Suitability, Movement, and Interaction describes
practical applications of modeling concepts in a geographic information system (GIS). This book shows
readers how they can explore spatial interaction, site selection, routing, and scheduling, and explains how to
best interpret the results of the analysis. With full-color maps and illustrations and sample applications, this
book will help students studying GIS and professional GIS analysts better use models to evaluate locations
and analyze movement.
Andy Mitchell is a writer at Esri. He is the author of ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Volume 1: Geographic Patterns and
Relationships (Esri Press 1999) and ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Volume 2: Spatial Measurements and Statistics (Esri Press
2005).
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Modeling Suitability, Movement, and Interaction
ISBN 978-1-58948-305-7
Andy Mitchell
124351 DOME4M6/12jh
Printed in the USA

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Modeling Suitability, Movement, and Interaction
Andy Mitchell
Esri Press, 380 New York Street, Redlands, California 92373-8100
Copyright © 2012 Esri
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Printed in the United States of America
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Contents
Foreword vii
Acknowledgments ix

Introducing GIS modeling 1
The GIS modeling process 6
Modeling and GIS data 14
References and further reading 30
Finding suitable locations 31
Designing a Boolean suitability model 34
Finding suitable locations using selection 40
Finding suitable locations using overlay 55
References and further reading 84
Rating suitable locations 85
Designing a suitability model 88
Rating locations using weighted overlay 94
Rating locations using fuzzy overlay 129
References and further reading 167
v
Modeling paths 169
Designing a path model 175
Modeling a path over a network 183
Modeling an overland path 214
References and further reading 268
Modeling flow 269
Designing a flow model 271
Modeling accumulation over a surface 273
Tracing flow over a network 309
References and further reading 324
Modeling interaction 325
Designing a model of interaction 328
Allocating demand to facilities 330
Modeling travel to facilities 378
References and further reading 404
Appendix 405
Data credits 411
Index 413
vi
Foreword
As GIS has grown more powerful, it has also grown more confusing; a contemporary
technology such as Esri’s ArcGIS presents a bewildering array of functions, data models,
and options. Achieving the promise of GIS by making sense of all of this challenges our
abilities as users, and even more as instructors of GIS courses, especially with respect to
the analysis and modeling functions.
This third book in Andy Mitchell’s series follows the pattern of its siblings in presenting a
very complex topic in a very simple and intuitive way. Unlike approaches that focus on
navigating the user interface or on detailing functionality, the series begins with the basic
questions GIS users need to answer and on the concepts that underlie those questions. I
find this approach very attractive, as it strikes to the heart of what GIS is all about: using
a powerful technology to address inherently simple questions about the geographic world.
The user is encouraged to think first about the problem to be addressed, to identify the
relevant issues, and to lay out an approach, all before any effort is made to interact with
the technology. In this respect the series lies close to what I would call critical spatial
thinking, the mindset of an informed and enquiring user. It emphasizes the essential
collaboration that must exist between user and technology, since GIS cannot of itself
solve problems; on the other hand, it can provide extremely valuable and powerful
assistance to a user who has a well-defined problem to solve.
This third volume covers problems of spatial interaction, site selection, routing, and
scheduling. Many of these problems involve informed decisionmaking, and fall under the
heading of “geodesign,” the use of geographic technologies to find the best solutions to
spatial problems, or what Carl Steinitz of Harvard University has termed “geography by
design.” This is a more complex domain than the previous two books, but one with great
practical relevance. As usual, the author approaches the topic with clarity, using abundant
illustrations, and maintaining a very high quality of presentation. The book is a worthy
addition to the series. In the preface I wrote to the second book, I said that it “should be
required reading for everyone who ventures into the world of spatial analysis with GIS.”
Now there’s more required reading, but as with the previous books, the illustrations and
text make the experience unusually pleasurable.
Michael F. Goodchild
Center for Spatial Studies and Department of Geography
University of California, Santa Barbara

Acknowledgments
Many people contributed their knowledge to this book. The GIS professionals who have
presented maps and papers at the annual Esri User Conference over the years provided the
real-world context for many of the concepts and methods presented in the book. Others,
mainly from academia, contributed through their publications, which are listed at the end
of each chapter.
Dr. Michael Goodchild of the University of California at Santa Barbara (who also wrote
the foreword), Dr. Thomas Balstrøm of the University of Aalborg at Copenhagen, Dr.
Gary Raines of the U.S. Geological Survey (retired), Doug Walker of Placeways, and Dr.
David Maidment of the University of Texas at Austin reviewed all or portions of the
manuscript and provided valuable comments.
Steve Kopp, of Esri, was the primary technical advisor for the book. A number of other
people at Esri offered their expertise, both through their review of portions of the
manuscript and in informal discussions. These include Linda Beale, Clint Brown, Garry
Burgess, Ryan DeBruyn, Dean Djokic, Drew Flater, Witold Fraczek, Charlie Frye, Steve
Grise, Alan Hatakeyama, Kevin Johnston, Deelesh Mandloi, Bill Miller, Scott Murray,
Nawajish Noman, Lauren Rosenshein, and Jay Sandhu.
A number of organizations provided the data used to create the map examples in the book.
They are listed in the “Data credits” section. Several people at Esri, including Canserina
Kurnia, Earl Sarow, and Lori Armstrong, provided help in obtaining datasets.
Tim Ormsby edited the book, and Joyce Frye was the copyeditor. Catherine Ortiz was the
project manager. Thanks to everyone who helped at Esri Press.
Once again, thanks to Jack Dangermond and Clint Brown, who recognized the value of
publishing a guide to GIS analysis, and provided the support for writing it. And, finally,
special thanks to Dr. Dana Tomlin and Dr. Carl Steinitz for their teaching and guidance.