How to include both lines and points as facilities for location allocation

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09-26-2016 09:16 AM
LanoYado
New Contributor III

I have a problem with two facilities layers, a point and a line layer, both are facilities not demand and I want to solve this problem using Location allocation tool but it does not accept line layers as a facility, any idea?

Thanks

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7 Replies
JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus

A line feature representing a facility?  What is the facility?  Typically, a facility is represented as a single point in space, like a fire station or a warehouse.

That should just about do it....
LanoYado
New Contributor III

Yes Joe, the power system network is an example for that case. It consists of generation (point), Load (point) and overhead lines that transmit power from generation to load. 

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JoeBorgione
MVP Emeritus

I guess I see 'overhead lines that transmit power' as  a route, not a facility.  Back to your original question, location allocation problems involve a specific location as the source.  A linear feature is not a specific location, hence the problem you are having.

That should just about do it....
LanoYado
New Contributor III

Well, you are right. The problem is about what is the best locations of measurements that measure two things together (we have this device), one related to the node, and the other is related to the line. The measurement is a facility and it is designed to "serve" as much as possible of "customers" which is here the load (point) and transmission lines (line layer). And of course the line should be that one that is connected to the measurement (node). So, I am wrong about assuming the line as a facility but I think it should be demand. But still the tool does not allow to add line as a demand.

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ChrisDonohue__GISP
MVP Alum

Can you elaborate more on what you are tying to solve?  You seem to be using Network Analyst here, so I would presume that the overhead lines are your Network edges, the generation points are the "Facilities" in Network Analyst, and the customer load point is the "demand point" in Network Analyst.  So it seems like you already have everything one would need to solve this.  So I guess we are missing something.  What do you mean by "the tool does not allow to add line as a demand"? 

One thought/guess - if you are routing through a network to a junction where a branch line goes off to a demand point, maybe consider making where the branch line comes off the junction the demand point instead of the final destination?

Chris Donohue, GISP

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LanoYado
New Contributor III

Alright, let's say we have 3 nodes (makes a triangle, 3 points and 3 lines). I want to install a measurement at a node (say node-1) so that it reads to me the values of all connected nodes including itself (voltages at these buses or nodes) beside all connected (two lines) values (ampere measurements). This is only 3-bus system, I have a large-interconnected system and I want to find what are (and how many) the best locations of these devices so that I can get as much as possible measurements of both voltages and amperes. So, in network analysis language, I have facilities (the devices that measure voltages and amperes) and demand (voltages and amperes). Now, voltage is a node value and it is stored in a point layer while ampere is a line value and stored in a line layer. ArcGIS can not accept adding line ldataset as a demand which I want to add it as a measurement of lines amperes.

Anything readable by the measurement-devices is translated to demand for my problem.

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ChrisDonohue__GISP
MVP Alum

Just an idea - I almost wonder if a Geometric Network may be a better way to go instead of using Network Analyst.  However, I haven't used a Geometric Network, so don't know for sure.  It might be worth checking out, though.

A geometric network is a set of connected edges and junctions, along with connectivity rules, that are used to represent and model the behavior of a common network infrastructure in the real world. Water distribution, electrical lines, gas pipelines, telephone services, and water flow in a stream are all examples of resource flows that can be modeled and analyzed using a geometric network. With a geometric network you can perform various network analyses such as finding loops or circuits within a network or trace upstream or downstream to find the source of flow within a network.

What are geometric networks?—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop 

Trace Geometric Network—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop 

Finding the upstream accumulation—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop 

Also, let me tag a group that is involved in your field:  https://community.esri.com/groups/electric-and-gas-user-group 

Chris Donohue, GISP