Chapter 17

Least-Cost Path Analysis and Network Analysis

Task #1 | Compute the Least Accumulative Cost Distance

File Requirement:
Sourcegrid, costgrid and pathgrid

Steps:
1. Launch ArcMap software  Add folder connection to 106382605_Lab#11  Insert New Data Frame and
named as Chap17-Task1.
2. Go to ArcToolbox  right click  Environment  and select Chap17 as a current and scratch work space
2. Right click on the Chap16Task1  select Add Data  select Sourcegrid, costgrid and pathgrid
3. Go to ArcToolbox  Spatial Analysis Tools  Distance Toolset  Cost Distance Tool  In the dialog
box select sourcegrid for input raster  select cost grid for the input cost raster  define the CostDistance
as a output raster  save the output backlink as CostDirection  OK.
4. Go to ArcToolBox  Spatial Analysis tools  Distance Toolset  Cost Allocation Tool  select
sourcegrid for input raster  select costgrid for input cost raster  save output with name Allocation 
OK.
5. Go to ArcToolBox  Spatial Analysis tools  Distance toolset  Cost Path Tool  select pathgrid for
the input raster  select costgrid for input cost distance raster  select CostDirection for the input cost
backlink raster  save the output raster as ShortestPath.
 Figure 1. ShortPath Layer view

Task #2 | Compute Path Distance

File Requirement:
emidasub, pathgrid and emidapathgd

Steps:
1. Launch ArcMap software  Add folder connection to 106382605_Lab#11  Insert New Data Frame and
named as Chap17-Task2.
2. Right click in the Chap17-Task2  select Add Data  select emidasub, pathgrid and emidapathgd
3. Right click on the emidasub  choose Symbology Tab  right click the Color Ramp Box  uncheck
Graphic View  select Elevation #1  peakgrid will be shown in the near summit of the elevation surface.
4. Go to ArcToolBox  Spatial Analysis Tools  Distance Toolset  Path Distance Tool  select peakgrid
for input raster  specify pathdist1 for the output distance raster  select emidasub for surface raster 
specify backlink1 for the output backlink raster  OK.
5. Go to ArcToolBox  Spatial Analysis Tools  Distance Toolset  Cost Path Tool  select emidapathgd
for the input raster  select pathdist1 for the input cost distance raster  se;ect backlink1 for the input cost
backlink raster  specify path1 for the output raster  OK.
6. Right click on the path1  select Open Attribute Table  click the left of the first record  the first is the
cell in the peakgrid  the second records is the least cost from emidapathgd.

Figure 2. ShortPath Layer view

Task #3 | Run Shortest Distance Analysis

File Requirement:
uscities.shp and interstates.shp

Steps:
1. Launch ArcMap software  Add folder connection to 106382605_Lab#11  Insert New Data Frame and
named as Chap17-Task3.
2. Go to Customize menu  select Extension  make sure that Network Analyst was checked.
3. Go to Catalog Tree  right click on the interstates.shp  select New Network Dataset  accept the
default name interstate_ND for name of network dataset  click Next  Opt not to model turn  click on
the connectivity button  in the connectivity dialog shows interstate as the source and the point for
connectivity and 1 connectivity group  click Next in the New Network Dataset dialog  opt not to
model elevation of your network features.
4. The window shows Meters and Minutes as attributes for network dataset  click Next  skip the Travel
Mode setting  select YES to establish driving direction setting and click Direction Button.
5. In the Network Directions Properties dialog shows that the display length units will be in miles and the
length attribute is in meters. NAME in interstates.shp will be the street name field  click cell below
Suffix Type and choose None. Click OK to Exit the Network Direction Properties dialog and click Next in
the New Network Dataset dialog  The summary of network Dataset setting was displayed  click Finish
 click Yes to Build the Network  click Yes to add all feature classes that participate interstates_ND to
map.
6. Right click  select add data  select uscities  Go to Selection Menu  choose Select by Attribute 
make sure that uscities is the layer for selection and enter the following expression to select Helena MT,
and Charlotte, NC: “City_Name” = ‘Helena’ or “City_Name” = Charlotte.
7. In the Network Analysist Toolbar should show interstates_ND in the Network Dataset box  select New
Route from Network Dataset dropdown menu  the Route Analysist layer was added to table of contents.
8. Adding Helena and Charlotte as stops for the shortest path analysist. Right click Route  select Properties.
In the Network Location Properties dialog  change the tolerance to 1000 (meters)  click OK.
9. Zoom in on Helena, Montana  clicked point display symbol with 1  repeat same procedure to locat
Charlotte on the network (and the clicked location will indicate with 2)  click the Solve button to find the
shortest path between the two stops.
10. The shortest route will appear in the map  Go to Network Analysis Toolbar  click Direction  The
window will show the travel distance and travel time and detaild driving direction of the shortest route
from Helena to Charlotte.

Figure 3. ShortPath Layer view

 Figure 4. Shortest Route Layer view

Task #4 | Build a Geodatabase Network Dataset

File Requirement:
moscowst.shp and select_turns.dbf

Steps:
1. Launch ArcMap software  Add folder connection to 106382605_Lab#11  Insert New Data Frame and
named as Chap17-Task4.
2. Go to Catalog tree  select New  select PERSONAL GEODATABASE  rename to Network.mdb
3. Go to Catalog tree  right click on Network.mdb  select NEW  select FEATURE DATASET  in
the dialog, enter MoscowNet for the name  select IMPORT from ADD COORDINATE SYSTEM
dropdown menu and import the coordinates system of moscowst.shp to MoscowNet’s coordinate  click
NEXT in the NEW FEATURE DATASET  select NONE for vertical coordinates  Finish.
4. Import moscowst.shp to MoscowNet  right click on the MoscowNet  select Import  select
FEATURE CLASS (Single)  select moscowst.shp for import features  make sure that the output
location is MoscowNet and enter MoscowST for outout feature class name  OK.
5. Go to ArcToolBox  Network Analysist Tools  Turn Feature Class toolset  Turn Table to Turn
Feature Class Tool  specify select_turn.dbf for input turn table  specify MoscowSt in the MoscowNet
feature dataset for the reference line features  enter Select_Turns for the output feature class name 
click OK.
6. Go to Catalog Tree  select MoscowNet  right click and Point to NEW  select Network Dataset. Do
the following in the next eight windows: Take default name (MoscowNet_ND) for the network dataset 
click YES to model turn  check box next to Select_Turns  take default connectivity setting  chect
NONE to model elevation  make sure that Minutes and Oneways are attributes for network dataset 
skip TRAVEL MODE setting  opt to Establish Driving Direction  Nnext and review the summary 
click Finish  click YES to build network  click NO to add MoscowNet_ND to the Map.
7. Notice that MoscowNet_ND a network dataset and MoscowNet_ND_Junctions a junction feature class
have been added to Catalog Free.
 Figure 5. Select Turn

Task #5 | Find Closest Facility

File Requirement:
MoscoNet and firestat.shp

Steps:
1. Launch ArcMap software  Add folder connection to 106382605_Lab#11a  Insert New Data Frame
and named as Chap17-Task4.
2. Right click on the Data Frame Chap17-Task 4  add MoscowNet and firestat.shp  turn off the
MoscowNet_ND_Junction.
3. Make sure that Network Analysis Toolbar is available  select New Closest Facilities from the Network
Analysis Dropdown menu  The closest facility analysis layer will be added to the table of content with
 classes analysis of Facilities, Incidents, Routes and Barriers  make sure that Closest Facility is checked to
be visible.
4. Go to Network Analysis Toolbar  click Network Analysis Window  right click Facilities (0)  select
Load Locations  make sure that the location will be loaded from firestat, before clicking OK.
5. Click Closest Facility Properties button (located in the upper right window)  go to Analysis Setting Ttab
 opt to find 1 facility and to Travel from Facility to Incident  uncheck the box for Oneway in the
Restrictions window  click Incident (0) to Highlight it in the Network Analysis Window.
6. Go to ArcToolBox  Network Analysis Toolset  Create Network Location Tool  click the Solve
Button  map should show the route connect with closes facility to the incident  click Direction button
on the Network Analysis Toolbar  the window will show the route’s distance and travel time and detail
driving direction.

Figure 6. Select Turn