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Spatial Modeling with GIS

Image 1: Above is the user interface of the avalanche model as seen in Netlogo. This is a map boundary of Brighton Ski Resort, UT. The red arrows are the snow agents used in the model. The darker red areas are caused by an elevation scale set to black (where darker areas are lower elevations and lighter colors are higher elevations. Yellow areas indicate the travel path of agents (snow) when the "Pen" switch is on. Darker yellow indicates where multiple slides or agents movement occurred.

Image 2: The model was run 630 times. As seen in the graph when the number of agents (snow) increased in water content or weight, and the less friction existed in the model the more agents (snow) that slid. When the model was run with less water content or weight in the agents and the friction increased the number of agents (snow) that slid decreased.

Image 3: After running the model 630 times the total number of agents (snow) was totaled at the end of the slide as well as the number of times the agents (snow) traveled over any part of the model and then calculating the locations with the maximum amount of agents (snow) at the end of the season. This data was then converted to a heat map with the darker red areas indicating the most agents (snow) and darker blue showing the least. This was then overlaid on a vegetation layer to make it easier to locate possible hotel sites.

Skills: Model Building, Spatial Analysis

The course, Spatial Modeling with GIS, focused on the power to model complex environmental systems in a geo-spatial framework. This course placed the fundamental operations and software of spatial analysis and GIS into a modeling framework. The course addressed advanced concepts and techniques in map algebra, cartographic modeling, and descriptive and predictive spatial modeling. This project was worked collaboratively with Austin Coates and Brandon Thiel.

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This project used a theoretical company 'Avaltel' who hired our team to analyze Brighton Ski Resort to locate potential future hotel locations. Avaltels business model is to give adrenaline junkies a safe rush that they seek as well as the comfort of a fine hotel. The hotel will need to be located near avalanche hot spots. Our team objective was to determine what sites may or may not be suitable for Avaltels next investment at Brighton Ski Resort.

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Using a Geographic Information System (GIS) and Spatial Modeling with Netlogo, Brighton Ski Resort in Utah was examined using the following Data:

 

  • Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Brighton Ski Resort

  • Vegetation Raster Layer

  • Friction Formula

  • Calculating Weight of Snow

 

An agent-based modeled the snow patches on a grid of 200x300 agents. All agents (snow) start evenly spaced apart. When an avalanche is triggered by an explosive, the agents (snow) will move into their new locations. This process was repeated multiple times. Additional agents (snow) simulated snow storms and changed the composition of the agents accordingly. This assisted in creating additional avalanches.

 

Avalanche agents (snow) was tracked with the maximum amount of agents (snow) determined at the end of the season. The model showed where the avalanches traveled and ultimately ended. This model was run 630 times.

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To test our model and determine if it is what we would expect to see in nature, a flow accumulation image was used with the understanding that avalanches are likely to follow a similar route that water would.

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Final results were mapped out on the Brighton Ski Resort DEM. With a vegetation imagery layer for Avatels decision making process.

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