Developing a traffic control device maintenance management system interfacing with Gis

Roadway systems contain a wide variety of spatially distributed physical features which require installation, maintenance and replacement. These features include traffic control devices such as signs, signals, pavement markings and streetlights. Several technologies exist that can be utilized by the transportation sector to improve program management of a number of these features. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology provides a powerful environment for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of spatial (locationally defined) data. A need exists to provide an inventory of the transportation physical plant to interface with a work management system. Information pertaining to the number and condition of such features is required for planning, operating, maintaining, managing and budgeting needs. This thesis summarizes the development of a user-friendly, computerized process to establish a graphical interface between a roadway inventory database and GIS; Evaluation of existing technologies and a survey of current literature will provide a basis for the design of a Traffic Control Device Maintenance Management System. This system will provide a consistent form of technology transfer on a common platform. This system will manage resources by integrating work-orders and the database. The system will utilize GIS technology to integrate a work-order system and a database reporting system for resource management. The work order interface capabilities will include maintenance work-order management, project cost and progress tracking, and program planning and policy analysis; The key is to develop a user-friendly system useful to both the field-level installation crews and planning-level management. A case study in Clark County, Nevada, will be used to evaluate alternative methods of collecting and data on traffic control devices and to illustrate the development of a GIS-based management system. This system is intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operational practices as well as serve as a vital decision support tool for planning and management

The potential of geographical information system-based modelling for aquaculture development and management in South Western Bangladesh

This study describes the delineation of appropriate sites for aquaculture using remote sensing, GPS and GIS. A 1996 composite Landsat TM image covering the south-western part of Bangladesh was used to identify water bodies, the extent of brackish water and associated land use features in the image. The Remote Sensing image was complemented by digitised secondary data from a range of sources, including hard copy maps to produce a GIS database which included environmental layers such as water bodies, rivers, soils, land use, temperature, rainfall, salinity and pH. The database also included infrastructural issues, such as roads, railways, processing plants, towns and cities. A series of GIS models were developed in order to identify and prioritise the most suitable areas for freshwater prawn, tilapia and carp and brackish water shrimp and crab farming. A range of scenarios for land allocations were used to develop a series of resource use models linked to likely production outcomes. Global warming and accelerated sea level rise is considered in the study area with different sea level rise scenarios of 50, 100, 150 and 200cm. The consequence of land losses and displacement of the population from the area in different situations is discussed. The economic characteristics of shrimp farming and alternative land uses in the Khulna region were also considered. Five land use options were studied based on economic output and job potential. Among these, brackish water shrimp and crab culture, moderately saline tolerant tilapia and prawn culture, fresh water carp culture and traditional rice production systems, and fresh water prawn culture performed best followed by brackish water shrimp and crab culture. This study showed the extent of potential for aquaculture in the Khulna region and further demonstrates the usefulness of GIS as an aquaculture-planning tool. Model programming was also found to be very useful tool to enabling regenerating of multiple scenarios very quickly. Overall, GIS modelling associated with remote sensing has great potential for informed decision-making in aquatic production systems and optimising management of natural resources in a region where they are already under considerable pressure. The implications for use of these systems in reducing land use conflict and sector planning for the region are discussed

Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio