Abstract

Esri's Analysis Tools in Support of Borrow Material Allocation Analysis
Track: Analysis and Geoprocessing
Authors: Brian Coward, Brandon Jones

Esri Model builder and python programming capability�enabled the development of a borrow allocation tool for assigning different areas within borrow pits to 7 different segments of a levee construction project in West Sacramento CA.� � The problem was figuring out how to split up the borrow areas between the levee segments and at the same time minimizing the haul distance.� Model builder became an indispensable scaffold to use to construct the solution, test the solution, tweak the solution, and rerun the solution when there was updated source data.� The�solution required a process of iteration that would buffer the levee segment, determine if the buffered area intersected with enough borrow material and if not the iteration would start over with a different size buffer. Python scripting was used to invoke more complex logic to significantly reduce the iterations (processing time) and increase the precision of the outcome.�