GIS as a Tool for Route Location and Highway Alignment

156 Pages·2010·9.47 MB·English

An-Najah National University
Faculty of Graduate Studies

GIS as a Tool for Route Location
and Highway Alignment

By
Emad Basheer Salameh Dawwas

Supervisor
Prof. Sameer A. Abu Eisheh

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master in Highway and Transportation Engineering, Faculty of
Graduate Studies, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
2005
II
III
Dedication
I present this work to who gives every thing and doesn’t wait any thing. To
the candle that is burnt to light my way…………… My Mother.
IV
Acknowledgement
First of all, I thank my God for all the blessings, he bestowed on me and
continues to bestow on me.
It is with sincere gratitude and pleasure that I express my profound
acknowledgement to my supervisor: Prof. Sameer Abu Eisheh, An-Najah
N. University, who has been most gracious, diligent, and resourceful in his
efforts to accomplish this study and write up this thesis.
Special thanks go to Eng. Abullah Abdullah, Ber Zeit University, for his
technical support and his valuable suggestions. These thanks are also to all
lecturers and professors who advised during the preparation of this study.
Finally, I would like to express my utmost appreciation to my filmily, and
my friends for all kinds of support, knee interest and concern.
V
Table of Contents
Content Page
Committee Decision ……………………………………………… II
Dedication ………………………………………………………… III
Acknowledgment …………………………………………………. IV
Table of Contents ………………………………………………… V
List of Tables ……………………………………………………... VIII
List of Figures …………………………………………………….. IX
List of Appendices………………………………………………… XI
Abstract …..………………………………………………………. XII
1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………… 2
1.1 Background…………………………………………... 2
1.2 Objectives……………………………………………. 2
1.3 Importance of the Study……………………………… 3
1.4 Study Area…………………………………………… 4
1.1 Study Outline………………………………………… 4
2. LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………. 8
2.1 GIS Applications in Transportation Planning………... 8
2.1.1 Introduction…………………………………………... 8
2.1.2 Worldwide GIS Application in Transportation Studies 8
2.1.3 Local GIS Applications in Transportation and Traffic 12
2.2 GIS Studies in Route Location and Highway
Alignment……………………………………………. 14
3. METHODOLOGY…………………………………………… 20
3.1 Introduction…………………………………………... 20
3.2 Data Collection and Variables Identification………… 21
3.3 Software Selection…………………………………… 24
3.3.1 GIS Software……………………………………..…... 24
3.3.2 CAD Software Used………………………………… 25
3.4 GIS Model Building………………………………….. 26
3.4.1 Input Data Phase……………………………………... 29
VI
3.4.2 Define Alternatives Phase……………………………. 30
3.4.3 Design Phase…………………………………………. 33
3.4.4 Analysis Phase……………………………………….. 33
3.4.5 The Evaluation and Final selection Phase...……......... 35
3.5 Weighting System……………………………………. 35
3.5.1 Environmental Assessment…………………………... 36
3.5.2 Modified Weighting and Ranking System…………… 38
4. PPLICATION………………………………………………… 42
4.1 Introduction…………………………………………... 42
4.2 Existing Roads Conditions…………………………… 42
4.3 Data Collection………………………………………. 44
4.3.1 Topography…………………………………………... 45
4.3.2 Agricultural Lands…………………………………… 46
4.3.3 Natural Reserves, Forests and Biodiversity Areas…… 46
4.3.4 Palestinian Built-up Areas and Population…………... 48
4.3.5 Water Resources……………………………………... 48
4.3.6 Israeli Settlements and Separation Wall……………... 52
4.3.7 Existing Roads……………………………………….. 52
4.3.8 Cultural Sites…………………………………………. 52
4.3.9 Geology………………………………………………. 56
4.4 Data Preparation Phase………………………………. 56
4.5 Alternatives Generation Phase……………………….. 63
4.5.1 Exploration for Continuous Path…………………….. 64
4.5.2 Preliminary Centerline Selection…………………….. 77
4.5.3 Final Centerline Selection……………………………. 80
4.6 Design Phase…………………………………………. 80
4.6.1 General Design Considerations and Assumptions…… 82
4.6.2 Horizontal Alignment Design………………………... 85
4.6.3 Vertical Alignment Design…………………………... 85
4.7 Analysis Phase……………………………………….. 89
4.8 Evaluation and Final Selection Phase………………... 102
VII
4.8.1 Advantages and Disadvantages of All Alternatives….. 102
4.8.2 Final Selection……………………………………….. 105
5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS…………… 108
5.1 Conclusions…………………………………………... 108
5.2 Recommendations……………………………………. 110
REFERENCES……………………………………………….. 112
APPENDICES………………………………………………… 115
ب
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ﺹﺨﻠﻤﻟﺍ
VIII
List of Tables

Table No. Page
Table (1) Important Considerations from the Public and
Involved Government Agencies…………………...... 37
Table (2) Impact Weighting System Source .............................
38

Table (3) Modified Impact Weighting System ……………... ...
39

Table (4) Buffer Zone Around Some Restricted Features …….
59

Table (5) The Cross Section Components ……………………
82

Table (6) Equations of Crest and Sag Vertical Curves ……….
86

Table (7) K Value for Crest and Sag Vertical Curve …………
87

Table (8) Final Results of the Analysis Phase ………………..
100

Table (9) Estimation of the Amount of Impacts Using
Weighting System…………………………………... 106
IX
List of Figures

Figure No. Page
Figure (1) The Location of the Study Area………………………. 5
Figure (2) The Detailed Study Area……………………………… 6
Figure (3) Phases of Highway Alignment Selection Process…….. 21
Figure (4) Layers of Different Features as Represented…………. 25
Figure (5) Sample of SDSK Output……………………………… 27
Figure (6) The Flowchart of the Developed GIS Model…………. 28
Figure (7) Flowchart of Red and Green Method…………………. 31
Figure (8) Existing Roads Connecting Nablus and Jenin………... 43
Figure (9) Study Area According to Agricultural Value…………. 47
Figure (10) Existing Biodiversity, Forsets and Natural Reserves…. 49
Figure (11) Palestinian Built-up Areas in the Study Area………… 50
Figure (12) Existing Water Resources in the Study Area…………. 51
Figure (13) Israeli Settlements, Seperation Wall and Isolated Areas 53
Figure (14) The Existing Road Network…………………………... 54
Figure (15) Existing Cultural Sites in the Study Area…………….. 55
Figure (16) Geological Faults in the Study Area………………….. 57
Figure (17) Simplification of Overlapping Problem………………. 58
Figure (18) Final Layers of the Study Area Features……………… 61
Figure (19) 3D Model of Study Area……………………………… 62
Figure (20) Forbidden and Permissible Areas for Trial 1…………. 67
Figure (21) Final Forbidden and Permissible Areas for Trial 1…… 68
X
Figure (22) Forbidden and Permissible Areas for Trial 2…………. 69
Figure (23) Net Selected Area in Trial 2…………………………... 70
Figure (24) Selected Permissible Areas with 50m Buffer in Trial 2 71
Figure (25) Permissible and Forbidden Areas According to Trial 3 73
Figure (26) Extracted Continuous Paths in Trial 3………………... 74
Figure (27) The Study Area Classified According to the GCM…... 76
Figure (28) Using PE in Selecting Preliminary Centerline………... 78
Figure (29) Preliminary Centerline of Alternative One and Two…. 79
Figure (30) Final Centerline of Alternative Two and Three………. 81
Figure (31) ROW Cases…………………………………………… 84
Figure (32) Sample of Cut and Fill Bounderies and Cross-section... 88
Figure (33) Sample of Imported Data from SDSK………………... 90
Figure (34) Impacted Area Simplification………………………… 90
Figure (35) Impacted Areas of Alternative One and Two…………. 92
Figure (36) Cut and Fill between Design and Ground Surface……. 93
Figure (37) Cut and Fill Output of Alternative One……………….. 94
Figure (38) Built-up Areas Served within Five Kilometers……….. 95
Figure (39) Areas within 150m Noise Zone of All Alternatives…... 97
Figure (40) Faults Crossed by Alternative One …………………... 98
Figure (41) All Alternatives with respect to the Point Features........ 99