Scenario-based spatial decision support for network infrastructure design

Abstract

This paper describes an extended framework for scenario based spatial decision support for constructing new network infrastructure and its application in the domains of telecommunication, forestry and energy. There is an increasing need to provide new planning paradigms to support very expensive strategic investment decisions in new network infrastructure in these domains. The planning processes are still dominated by an expert approach based on empirical knowledge and manual implementation. With this conventional approach it is impossible to visualize and to consider different planning scenarios within a reasonable cost and time frame. We combined the powerful analytical and visualization capabilities of a Geographic Information System (GIS) with mathematical methods of graph theory and combinatorial optimization. This conceptual approach extends the basic spatial decision support model with a knowledge based module for scenario parameterization and graph generation, a module for geodata integration and processing, an operations research optimization module and a multi-level visualization module supporting the need of different communication channels within the decision making process.