The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Laboratory develops innovative
ways to manage and visualize information using geography-based decision
support systems. Its researchers design methods to implement and
improve smart highway systems. They provide and update detailed
highway information contributing to the development of existing
and new roads, as well as route information used in determining
the most efficient trucking routes and emergency evacuation routes.
They innovate transportation system software and visual display
systems using GIS tools.
GIS researchers at NTRC develop GIS software to query, view and
analyze transportation roadway information, with skill in integrating
information maintained in multiple vendor formats. They research
and attribute transportation data and develop traffic management
software for predicting future traffic volumes. Their software has
been used to route traffic around high-hazard locations during emergencies.
Researchers also integrate GIS and transportation models into decision
support systems and develop spatial databases using a linear referencing
system (LRS). They are currently working on integrating smart highway
system technologies to enable traffic to flow more smoothly.
The GIS Lab staff includes application developers skilled in integrating
GIS and transportation models into decision support systems, and
spatial database developers, particularly in LRS. GIS Lab staff
is experienced in creating LRS data and use it effectively in decision
support systems.
GIS Lab researchers are exposed to different GIS vendor formats
and data structures through work with the Federal Highway Administration,
the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and the Surface
Deployment Distribution Command Transportation Engineering Agency.
They have experience in implementing systems using both Intergraph
and ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute) software for
Federal and state agencies.
GIS Lab researchers have a high degree of programming skill balanced
with the ability to communicate with customers, facilitating the
clear definition and determination of client requirements. They
are known for developing tools that are sophisticated while easy
to use. They also have experience in integrating existing GIS models
into applications developed at the Lab.
The GIS Laboratory houses a full prod-uct suite for Intergraph
and ESRI GIS, as well as the necessary computing and graphical presentation
equipment needed for GIS-related research. The GIS Laboratory has
expertise in data analysis and development with respect to transportation
issues, including data research and collection, data attribution,
database design, and developing routable networks. In addition,
there is a software design and development component for transportation
issues. This includes model integration, data creation, and visual
display of textual and spatial data.
Currently, GIS researchers work primarily with the Tennessee Department
of Transportation (TDOT) and with Federal agencies including the
Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and the Department
of Transportation.
For TDOT, researchers are creating a prototype visual system to
assist TDOT in managing the State’s approximately 90,000 miles
of roadways. The visual system will facilitate organization of TDOT
data and analysis results to provide seamless, managed access to
spatial data within the TDOT enterprise. The system will allow for
easy and consistent display of GIS data for analysis and dissemination.
It will assist TDOT in planning and executing roadway repairs and
upgrades by tracking, for example, roadway deficiency data and crash
rates.
For the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), researchers at the GIS
Laboratory evaluate the DLA supply chain and operations, and model
existing supply chain with the use of Unified Modeling Language
(UML). To establish and evaluate the supply chain and operations
baseline, the GIS Lab has developed logic, use case, and collaboration
diagrams in UML.
GIS researchers are also building spatial databases for the U.S.
Department of Defense Surface Deployment Distribution Command’s
(SDDC) Intelligent Road/Rail Information Server (IRRIS) system,
a web portal that provides access to world-wide infrastructure data
and GIS mapping. The GIS Lab is involved in integration and attribution
of NAVTEQ data to facilitate deployment of U.S. military resources.
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