NETWORK ANALYSIS

A network is a set of interconnected linear features through which materials,

goods and people are transported or along which communication of information is achieved. Rivers are one example, roads, pipelines and cables also form networks that can be modelled in GIS.

Network models in GIS are abstract representations of the components and characteristics of their real-world counterparts

NETWORK MODEL COMPONENTS

LINK (ARC)

NODE

TURN

<

NODE

STOP

CENTRE

LINK:

In the network model the arcs become network links representing the roads, railways and air routes of transport networks; the power lines, cables and pipelines of the utilities networks; or the rivers and streams of hydrological systems.

NODE:
Nodes:

The nodes in turn become network nodes, stops and centres

Network nodes are simply the endpoints of network links and as such represent junctions in transport networks, confluences in stream networks, and switches and valves in utilities networks.

Stops: Stops are locations on the network that may be visited during a journey. They may be stops on a bus route, pick-up and drop-off points on a delivery system, or sediment sources in a stream network. They are points where goods, people or resources are transferred to and from some form of transport system.

Centres: Centres are discrete locations on a network at which there exists a resource supply or some form of attraction. Examples include shopping centres, airports, schools and hospitals. At a larger scale centres may be a whole city if the transport, resource or information networks for an entire country are being considered.

TURNS: Turns represent the transition from network link to network link at a network node. Turns therefore represent the relationships between network links and greatly affect movement through the network system. Turns across oncoming traffic on a road network take longer than turns down slipways, whereas turns that go against the flow of traffic on one way streets are prohibited altogether.

Two key characteristics of network features are

1. Impedance 2. Supply and demand

IMPEDANCE:

Impedance is the cost associated with traversing a network link, stopping, turning or visiting a centre.
Courier's delivery van travelling along a city street

Impedance value represents time, fuel used and the driver's pay.
Factors influencing the impedance value will include Traffic volume as determined by time of day and traffic control systems;

Direction (for instance, one-way streets or roads);

Topography (more fuel is used going uphill); and Weather (more fuel is used traveling into a strong headwind). Different links have different impedance values depending on local conditions.

LINK IMPEDANCE: It may be the time it takes to travel from one node to another along a network link. TURN IMPEDANCE: It is also important and may be represented by the cost of making a particular turn. For example, when the delivery van reaches the end of the current link, the direction the driver chooses to turn may be strongly influenced by turn impedance. STOP IMPEDANCE: It refers to the cost of making a stop and operates in a similar way to link and turn impedance. The courier's delivery van may not find a parking space in the location at which the parcel needs to be delivered; and this causes stop impedance equal to the time taken to walk to and fro the parking lot and the place of delivery. The delay on a stretch of road owing to traffic signals may also form part of stop impedance. Impedance values are, therefore, very important in determining the outcome of route finding, allocation and spatial interaction operations.

Link, turn and stop impedances affecting the journey of a delivery van

SUPPLY AND DEMAND They are equally important concepts in network analysis. Supply:

Supply is the quantity of a resource available at a centre that is available to satisfy the demand associated with the links of a network. If we take the example of a Reservoir, then supply would be represented to the amount of water available.
Demand: Demand is the utilization of a resource by an entity that is associated with a network link or node. Using the reservoir example again, demand is represented by amount of water required for various purposes such as irrigation, industries, domestic purposes of the catchment area. .

NETWORK ANALYSIS

There are several classic network type problems, including

Identifying shortest paths

The travelling salesperson problem Allocation modelling Route tracing.

Correct topology and connectivity are extremely important for network analysis

THE SHORTEST PATH PROBLEM The shortest path between one point and another on a network may be based on shortest distance, in which case either raster or vector GIS could attempt a solution. A raster GIS could provide an answer from a proximity analysis. Impediments to travel can be added to a raster grid by increasing the value of cells that are barriers to travel, then finding a 'least cost' route through a grid. Networks structured in vector GIS offer more flexibility and a more thorough analysis of impediments such as traffic restrictions and congestion. However, the shortest path may not be defined simply in terms of distance. For example, for an emergency vehicle to reach an accident the quickest route may be needed and this may require the traverse of less congested minor roads.

Shortest path methods work by evaluating the links and turns required to traverse a network between required stops. Several potential paths may be considered before the route with the least cumulative impedance is constructed from the intervening network. This process is repeated for all required stops until the whole journey path has been defined. Such a method might be used to identify the quickest route.

THE TRAVELLING SALES PERSON PROBLEM

The travelling salesperson problem is a common application of network analysis. The name arises from one application area where a salesperson needs to visit a specific set of clients in a day, and to do so by the best route (usually the quickest). The waste collection vehicle has the same problem - it needs to visit all the areas, then return to the dumping site. In each case the question is 'In which order should the stops be visited, and which path should be taken between them?' This is a complex computing task. Imagine a situation where the delivery van has to visit just 10 customers. The possible number of combinations in which the 10 customers could be visited is 9 factorial (9! or 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1 =362,880). Add to this the difficulties of determining the route with the least cumulative impedance and this turns into a hefty computing problem. In GIS network analysis the ordering of the stops can be determined by calculating the minimum path between each stop and every other stop in the list based on impedance met in the network. A heuristic (trial and error) method can then be used to order the visits so that total impedance from the first stop to the last is minimized. In the same way, the calculation of a route for a scenic drive could be aided by the inclusion of specified stops that need to be visited in a particular order.

LOCATION-ALLOCATION MODELLING
Network analysis may also be used for the allocation of resources by the modelling of supply and demand through a network. To match supply with demand requires the movement of goods, people, information or services through the network. In other words, supply must be moved to the point of demand or vice versa. Allocation methods usually work by allocating links in the network to the nearest supply centre, taking impedance values into account. Supply and demand values can also be used to determine the maximum catchment area of a particular supply centre based on the demand located along adjacent links in the network. Without regard for supply and demand limitations, a given set of supply centres would service a whole network. If limits to supply and demand levels are indicated then situations can arise where parts of the network are not serviced despite a demand being present. Allocation modelling in network data is the basis for more advanced analyses such as location allocation modelling. This can be used to identify the optimum location for a new centre to service a shortfall in supply relative to demand.

ROUTE TRACING
The ability to trace flows of goods, people, services and information through a network is another useful function of network analysis. Route tracing is particularly useful for networks where flows are unidirectional, such as stream networks, sewerage systems and cable TV networks. In hydrological applications route tracing can be used to determine the streams contributing to a reservoir or to trace pollutants downstream from the site of a spillage. Route tracing can be used to find all the customers serviced by a particular sewer main or find those affected by a broken cable. Connectivity, the way network links join at network nodes, is the key concept in route tracing Without the correct connectivity in a network, route tracing and most other forms of network analysis would not work.

ROUTE TRACING Directionality is also important for route tracing as this indicates the direction in which the materials are moving along the network. Knowledge of the flow direction is critical to establishing upstream and downstream links in the network. This gives rise to the concept of a directed network in which each link in the system has an associated direction of flow. Once a directional network has been established, tracing the links downstream or upstream of a point on the network is simply a question of following or going against the flow, respectively.