The Role of Visualisation in Spatial Planning: A GIS-Based Approach

The development and increased use of geographic information systems (GIS) in policing has intensified the demand for public access to digital spatial information. For example, those in the academic arena require access to spatial information to augment their learning, teaching and research endeavours, while the general public need spatially related crime information related to their local area or region to inform decisions that impact upon their everyday living (for example, safety precautions, choice of residential suburb). Much of this information exists, such as the 2001 Census from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2003), crime data available on the Queensland Police Service (QPS) website (http://www.police.qld.gov.au/), and the Atlas of Crime in Australia 2000 (AIC, 2000), yet often the information is not in a form that is easily accessible or comprehendable, requiring an understanding of and access to relatively complex commercial GIS packages. In recent years, police and researchers have worked closely together to develop publicly accessible web-based GIS applications for crime mapping, crime analysis, community mapping and information sharing (see, e.g., Police Foundation, 2001; Shyy et al., 2005; Chainey and Smith, 2006). Dragicevic (2004) highlights how web-based GIS has enhanced the open use of GIS in three main directions including: spatial data access and dissemination; spatial data exploration and geovisualization; and spatial data processing, analysis and modelling.

Abstract—To date, the knowledge regarding the potential uses of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Supply Chain Management (SCM) and how GIS applications can deliver business benefits are limited. To explore the current uses of GIS in SCM, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted. Three databases (Web of Science, ProQuest, and Business Source Premier) were explored using the PreferredReporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses(PRISMA) methodology. A total of 79 papers were included in the literature review. The combined findings showed that the GIS applications in SCM were a) network/transportation analysis/ routing algorithms (53 papers), b) Location-Allocation Site Search/ Selection (using multiple-criteria decision analysis [MCDA]) (45 papers), c) spatial analysis(people or land) (34 papers), d) connection with optimisation tools (32 papers) and e) visualisation/ monitoring or BuildingInformation Modelling (BIM) (8 papers). The industries and related Supply Chain (SC) domains that used GIS were a)Biomass Biofuel/Wood (33), b) Logistics (22), c)Humanitarian/ Emergency/ Healthcare (10), d) Food/ Agro-Industry (5), e) Petroleum/ Coal/ Shale Gas (3), f) FaecalSludge (2), g) Recycle & product footprint (2) and h)Construction (2). The research case studies took place in 26 countries, and the most prominent GIS software provider wasEsri’s ArcGIS. The findings of the first literature review ofthe GIS applications in SCM showed that many businessindustries have not utilised the GIS capabilities, such asvisualisation, spatial analysis, optimisation, and site research. However, GIS can significantly contribute to SCM decisionmaking by providing answers to cost minimisation, supplierselection, facility location, SC network configuration andasset management. Keywords— Supply Chain Management, Logistics, SystematicLiterature Review, GIS

Landscape design research is important for cultivating spatial intelligence in landscape architecture. This study explores GIS (geographic information systems) as a tool for landscape design research - investigating landscape designs to understand them as architectonic compositions (architectonic plan analysis). The concept ‘composition’ refers to a conceivable arrangement, an architectural expression of a mental construct that is legible and open to interpretation. Landscape architectonic compositions and their representations embody a great wealth of design knowledge as objects of our material culture and reflect the possible treatment of the ground, space, image and program as a characteristic coherence. By exploring landscape architectonic compositions with GIS, design researchers can acquire design knowledge that can be used in the creation and refinement of a design. The research aims to identify and illustrate the potential role of GIS as a tool in landscape design research, so as to provide insight into the possibilities and limitations of using GIS in this capacity. The critical, information-oriented case of Stourhead landscape garden (Wiltshire, UK), an example of a designed landscape that covers the scope and remit of landscape architecture design, forms the heart of the study. The exploration of Stourhead by means of GIS can be understood as a plausibility probe. Here the case study is considered a form of ‘quasi-experiment’, testing the hypothesis and generating a learning process that constitutes a prerequisite for advanced understanding, while using an adjusted version of the framework for landscape design analysis by Steenbergen and Reh (2003). This is a theoretically informed analytical method based on the formal interpretation of the landscape architectonic composition addressing four landscape architectonic categories: the basic, the spatial, the symbolic and the programmatic form. This study includes new aspects to be analysed, such as the visible form and the shape of the walk, and serves as the basis for the landscape architectonic analysis in which GIS is used as the primary analytical tool. GIS-based design research has the possibility to cultivate spatial intelligence in landscape architecture through three fields of operation: GIS-based modelling: description of existing and future landscape architectonic compositions in digital form; GIS-based analysis: exploration, analysis and synthesis of landscape architectonic compositions in order to reveal latent architectonic relationships and principles, while utilizing the processing capacities and possibilities of computers for ex-ante and ex-post simulation and evaluation; GIS-based visual representation: representation of (virtual) landscape architectonic compositions in space and time, in order to retrieve and communicate information and knowledge of the landscape design. Though there are limitations, this study exemplifies that GIS is a powerful instrument to acquire knowledge from landscape architectonic compositions. The study points out that the application of GIS in landscape design research can be seen as an extension of the fundamental cycle of observation, visual representation, analysis and interpretation in the process of knowledge acquisition, with alternative visualisations and digital landscape models as important means for this process. Using the calculating power of computers, combined with inventive modelling, analysis and visualisation concepts in an interactive process, opened up possibilities to reveal new information and knowledge about the basic, spatial, symbolic and programmatic form of Stourhead. GIS extended the design researchers’ perception via measurement, simulation and experimentation, and at the same time offered alternative ways of understanding the landscape architectonic composition. This gave rise to the possibility of exploring new elements in the framework of landscape design research, such as the visible form and kinaesthetic aspects, analysing the composition from eyelevel perspective. Moreover, the case study showcases that GIS has the potential to measure phenomena that are often subject to intuitive and experimental design, combining general scientific knowledge of, for instance, visual perception and way-finding, with the examination of site-specific design applications. GIS also enabled one to understand the landscape architectonic composition of Stourhead as a product of time, via the analysis of its development through reconstruction and evaluation of several crucial time-slice snapshots. The study illustrates that GIS can be regarded an external cognitive tool that facilitates and mediates in design knowledge acquisition. GIS facilitates in the sense that it can address the ‘same types of design-knowledge’ regarding the basic, spatial, symbolic and programmatic form, but in a more precise, systematic, transparent, and quantified manner. GIS mediates in the sense that it influences what and how aspects of the composition can be understood and therefore enables design researchers to generate ‘new types of design-knowledge’ by advanced spatial analysis and the possibility of linking or integrating other information layers, fields of science and data sources. The research contributes to the development and distribution of knowledge of GIS-applications in landscape architecture in two ways: (1) by ‘following’ the discipline and developing aspects of it, and (2) by setting in motion fundamental developments in the field, providing alternative readings of landscape architecture designs.

Landscape design research is important for cultivating spatial intelligence in landscape architecture. This study explores GIS (geographic information systems) as a tool for landscape design research - investigating landscape designs to understand them as architectonic compositions (architectonic plan analysis). The concept ‘composition’ refers to a conceivable arrangement, an architectural expression of a mental construct that is legible and open to interpretation. Landscape architectonic compositions and their representations embody a great wealth of design knowledge as objects of our material culture and reflect the possible treatment of the ground, space, image and program as a characteristic coherence. By exploring landscape architectonic compositions with GIS, design researchers can acquire design knowledge that can be used in the creation and refinement of a design. The research aims to identify and illustrate the potential role of GIS as a tool in landscape design research, so as to provide insight into the possibilities and limitations of using GIS in this capacity. The critical, information-oriented case of Stourhead landscape garden (Wiltshire, UK), an example of a designed landscape that covers the scope and remit of landscape architecture design, forms the heart of the study. The exploration of Stourhead by means of GIS can be understood as a plausibility probe. Here the case study is considered a form of ‘quasi-experiment’, testing the hypothesis and generating a learning process that constitutes a prerequisite for advanced understanding, while using an adjusted version of the framework for landscape design analysis by Steenbergen and Reh (2003). This is a theoretically informed analytical method based on the formal interpretation of the landscape architectonic composition addressing four landscape architectonic categories: the basic, the spatial, the symbolic and the programmatic form. This study includes new aspects to be analysed, such as the visible form and the shape of the walk, and serves as the basis for the landscape architectonic analysis in which GIS is used as the primary analytical tool. GIS-based design research has the possibility to cultivate spatial intelligence in landscape architecture through three fields of operation: GIS-based modelling: description of existing and future landscape architectonic compositions in digital form; GIS-based analysis: exploration, analysis and synthesis of landscape architectonic compositions in order to reveal latent architectonic relationships and principles, while utilizing the processing capacities and possibilities of computers for ex-ante and ex-post simulation and evaluation; GIS-based visual representation: representation of (virtual) landscape architectonic compositions in space and time, in order to retrieve and communicate information and knowledge of the landscape design. Though there are limitations, this study exemplifies that GIS is a powerful instrument to acquire knowledge from landscape architectonic compositions. The study points out that the application of GIS in landscape design research can be seen as an extension of the fundamental cycle of observation, visual representation, analysis and interpretation in the process of knowledge acquisition, with alternative visualisations and digital landscape models as important means for this process. Using the calculating power of computers, combined with inventive modelling, analysis and visualisation concepts in an interactive process, opened up possibilities to reveal new information and knowledge about the basic, spatial, symbolic and programmatic form of Stourhead. GIS extended the design researchers’ perception via measurement, simulation and experimentation, and at the same time offered alternative ways of understanding the landscape architectonic composition. This gave rise to the possibility of exploring new elements in the framework of landscape design research, such as the visible form and kinaesthetic aspects, analysing the composition from eyelevel perspective. Moreover, the case study showcases that GIS has the potential to measure phenomena that are often subject to intuitive and experimental design, combining general scientific knowledge of, for instance, visual perception and way-finding, with the examination of site-specific design applications. GIS also enabled one to understand the landscape architectonic composition of Stourhead as a product of time, via the analysis of its development through reconstruction and evaluation of several crucial time-slice snapshots. The study illustrates that GIS can be regarded an external cognitive tool that facilitates and mediates in design knowledge acquisition. GIS facilitates in the sense that it can address the ‘same types of design-knowledge’ regarding the basic, spatial, symbolic and programmatic form, but in a more precise, systematic, transparent, and quantified manner. GIS mediates in the sense that it influences what and how aspects of the composition can be understood and therefore enables design researchers to generate ‘new types of design-knowledge’ by advanced spatial analysis and the possibility of linking or integrating other information layers, fields of science and data sources. The research contributes to the development and distribution of knowledge of GIS-applications in landscape architecture in two ways: (1) by ‘following’ the discipline and developing aspects of it, and (2) by setting in motion fundamental developments in the field, providing alternative readings of landscape architecture designs.

GIScience Research at the Thirty‐second Annual Esri International User Conference

The spatial MCDA approach for evaluating flood damage reduction alternatives

Geographical Information System (GIS) is associated as an essential tool and as a part of natural resource management activities worldwide. Though, GIS is receiving special attention in the field of hydrology and the aquaculture management, their deployment for spatial decision support in this domain continues to be very slow. This situation is owing to a variety of constraints together with an absence of appreciation of the technology, restricted understanding of GIS principles and associated methodology, and inadequate structure commitment to confirm continuity of these spatial decision support tools. This paper addresses these constraints and includes the use of basic GIS techniques. Fish and water samples were collected and analyzed from seven sites along the Cauvery river basin, Tamilnadu, India and the results were incorporated into GIS platform. The section on GIS terminology addresses the two fundamental types of GIS (Mapping and Interpretative analysis), and discusses the aspects related to the visualization of outcomes. Spatial distribution maps were prepared for the above analyzed parameters. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) tool have been applied to express the results obtained from the study area.

The utilization of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in spatial planning for disaster mitigation is a novel approach to developing regional spatial planning documents in Indonesia, particularly in the Pidie Jaya district. This district is situated along the fault line on the island of Sumatra, a tectonically active zone highly susceptible to seismic activity. This research employs a methodology that integrates spatial data analysis, and GIS modeling to comprehensively understand the potential and impact of earthquakes in the area. Initial data used for analysis was sourced from the 2016 earthquake in Pidie Jaya district. The analysis results were incorporated into GIS to create precise and detailed maps depicting earthquake vulnerability and hazard. Subsequently, a meticulous spatial planning strategy is formulated, encompassing recommendations for land use, building standards, and disaster mitigation infrastructure. This strategy is designed to offer practical and effective guidance for local governments in reducing earthquake disaster risks and significantly contribute to formulating sustainable disaster mitigation policies. The findings of this paper are expected to provide a substantial contribution to earthquake disaster mitigation efforts, not only in Indonesia but also globally.

Geographic information systems (GISs) are widely used for representation, management, and analysis of spatial data in many disciplines. In particular, geoscientists increasingly use these tools for data integration and management purposes in many environmental applications, ranging from water resources management to the study of global warming. Beyond these capabilities, geoscientists need to model and simulate three-dimensional (3D) dynamic fields and readily integrate those results with other relevant spatial information in order to have a better understanding of the environmental problems. However, GISs are very limited for the modeling and simulation of spatial fields, which are mostly 3D and dynamic. These limitations are mainly related to the existing GIS spatial data structures that are static and limited to 2D space. In order to overcome these limitations, we develop and implement a new kinetic 3D spatial data structure based on Delaunay tetrahedralization and a 3D Voronoi diagram to support a 3D dynamic field simulation within GISs. In this article, we describe in detail the different steps from discretization of a 3D continuous field to its numerical integration, based on an event-driven method. For validation of the proposed spatial data structure itself and its potential for the simulation of a dynamic field, two case studies are presented in the article. According to our observations, during the simulation process, the data structure is maintained and the 3D spatial information is managed adequately. Furthermore, the results obtained from both experiments are very satisfactory and are comparable with the results obtained from other existing methods for the simulation of the same dynamic field. To conclude, we discuss the current challenges related to the development of the 3D kinetic data structure itself and its adaptation to 3D dynamic field simulation and suggest some solutions for its improvement.

The applications of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) to vector-borne and helminthic diseases have progressed far beyond the pretty pictures which dominated their early use. As Wood et al. indicate in the last chapter, the number of papers in the area has increased drastically over the last decade, in number and sophistication. The editors of this special volume of Advances in Parasitology have been in the forefront of applying statistical and biological approaches to the mapping of vector-borne diseases and have brought together experts to review existing knowledge, identify gaps in understanding, and describe future applications of these powerful approaches. This book is a timely overview of satellite imagery, GIS, and spatial statistics. The emphasis is on vector-borne diseases, with one chapter devoted to helminthic diseases. With the exception of the chapter on spatial statistic and GIS, there is little mention of other epidemiologic applications (e.g., GIS and cancer, AIDS, and environmental health). The book is divided into three parts: three introductory chapters describing the methodology; four chapters which review the applications and provide examples from the authors’ experiences in studying African trypanosomiases, malaria, tick-borne diseases, and human helminthic diseases; and three concluding chapters which describe environmental variables, disease risk forecasting, and the education about and future of remote sensing in human health. Although remote sensing, GIS, and spatial statistics have been reviewed separately elsewhere, the encompassing review, the inclusion of lists of URLs, and the extensive references make the introductory chapters timely and instructive for new users. The audiences that will benefit most from the book include researchers and public health administrators who want to integrate these tools into research, surveillance, and control efforts. This audience, as well as more experienced users, can gain much from the chapters that provide examples of specific applications derived from deep understanding of the biology of disease. The chapters by Rogers, Randolph, and Brooker and Michael, in particular, are based their own research and expertise in trypanosomiasis, tick-borne diseases, and helminthic diseases, respectively. Remote sensing and GIS are particularly relevant to emerging infectious diseases. The chapter entitled Forecasting Disease Risk for Epidemic Preparedness provides a road map for developing early warning systems. While this chapter, like the rest of the book, is clearly written by advocates of the applications of remote sensing and GIS, the authors remain aware of critical issues, such as the distinction between statistical and biological models and the notion that insights gained by false negatives and positives predicted by models are as important as successful predictions. Other issues that have hampered more extensive applications of remote sensing and GIS to vector-borne diseases include lack of training, gaps in data (quality and quantity, particularly of epidemiologic and parasitologic data), inadequate tools for data gathering, and limits on management and understanding. This book goes a long way to address these issues and is likely to lead to more and improved applications of remote sensing and GIS.

This examines the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in assessing urban infrastructure performance and spatial planning efficiency across Nigerian cities. Rapid urbanization and population growth have placed immense pressure on existing infrastructure systems transportation networks, water supply, sanitation, and housing—leading to spatial inequalities and reduced service delivery efficiency. Through a GIS-based analytical framework, this research integrates spatial, demographic, and infrastructural datasets to evaluate the spatial distribution, accessibility, and functionality of urban infrastructure. This identifies key spatial patterns of infrastructural inadequacy, particularly in peri-urban areas, where unplanned expansion often outpaces formal planning mechanisms. GIS spatial modeling and network analysis further reveal how infrastructural performance correlates with land-use intensity, urban density, and socio-economic conditions. Findings highlight significant disparities in infrastructure service provision across different urban zones, underscoring the weaknesses of traditional planning approaches that neglect spatial interdependencies. The study proposes that integrating GIS tools into spatial planning processes can enhance decision-making, optimize infrastructure allocation, and promote equitable urban development. Additionally, the research emphasizes the need for data-driven, participatory planning systems that incorporate real-time spatial information to monitor urban growth and manage future expansion sustainably. By demonstrating the effectiveness of GIS in spatial diagnostics, this study contributes to advancing smart, evidence-based urban planning frameworks for Nigerian cities and similar contexts in the Global South.

Abstract: Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) is a multidisciplinary field that combines geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and data analysis to provide critical insights for decision-making in various sectors. This research article explores the theoretical foundations, methodologies, and practical applications of geospatial intelligence. Through comprehensive analysis, the study identifies key techniques used in GEOINT, significant case studies, and the challenges faced by professionals in the field. The findings highlight the importance of geospatial technologies in enhancing situational awareness, disaster management, urban planning, and national security. Practical recommendations for geospatial practitioners, policymakers, and researchers are provided, along with suggestions for future research to further advance the field. Keywords: Geospatial Intelligence, Mapping the Future, Geospatial Technologies, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Spatial Data Analysis, Geospatial Data, Earth Observation, Geospatial Analytics, Cartography, Spatial Information, Geospatial Applications, Location-Based Services, Spatial Intelligence, Geospatial Innovation, Geographic Data Processing, Spatial Decision Support, Geospatial Solutions, Environmental Monitoring, Urban Planning, Geospatial Big Data, Spatial Visualization, Geospatial Modeling, Geospatial Infrastructure and Future Geospatial Trends.

Roles of geospatial technology in eco-industrial park site selection: State–of–the-art review

In recent years, life quality of the urban areas is a growing interest of civil engineering. Environmental quality is essential to display the position of sustainable development and asserts the corresponding countermeasures to the protection of environment. Urban environmental quality involves multidisciplinary parameters and difficulties to be analyzed. The problem is not only complex but also involves many uncertainties, and decision-making on these issues is a challenging problem which contains many parameters and alternatives inherently. Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a very prepotent technique to solve that sort of problems, and it guides the users confidence by synthesizing that information. Environmental concerns frequently contain spatial information. Spatial multicriteria decision analysis (SMCDA) that includes Geographic Information System (GIS) is efficient to tackle that type of problems. This study has employed some geographic and urbanization parameters to assess the environmental urbanization quality used by those methods. The study area has been described in five categories: very favorable, favorable, moderate, unfavorable, and very unfavorable. The results are momentous to see the current situation, and they could help to mitigate the related concerns. The study proves that the SMCDA descriptions match the environmental quality perception in the city.

Soil erosion causes the loss of soil resources, the degradation of land fertility and the deterioration of regional ecological environment. Supported by the Geographical Information System (GIS), this paper takes Changting County in Fujian Province as an example. According to the intensity status quo of soil erosion, and on the statistical basis of the demarcation of the erodibility hazard rating, the 3S (Remote Sensing, Geographical Information System and Global Positioning System) technology and the spatial modeling functions are adopted to build a soil erosion control research system of demarcation ranging from the erodibility status quo to the erosion control pattern and the erosion control measures supported by the 3S technology to demarcate the spatial suitability of a series of soil erosion control measures. The result indicates that the intuitively feasible and operable advantage of the 3S technology in spatial data processing, integration and analysis could lay a theoretical and practical foundation for the further in-depth development of soil erosion control and a basis for competent departments' policy-making via the analysis of the soil erosion control pattern and the spatially rationalized deployments for the control measures.