Knowledge Base

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Construction Zones

Updated April 26, 2024

First of all, in this example we will run Path Explorer once without adding any Construction Zone and then we will display a Figure with the result after setting our constrains to show the impact of setting Construction Zones.

Figure 1: A - B feature.

Then, we run Path Explorer AI. select Optimization ribbon, select the A-B feature and press Path Explorer AI button.

Set some initial parameters such as, Target TIN, resolution, general, source / destination and construction parameters. 

Then, press OK to run Path Explorer. You will have some results according to your topo and calculation constrains.

Figure 2: Path Explorer features.

Construction parameters can be used to determine spatially costs and constrains in Path Explorer.  The following chapter will explain the zone types that may be included.

Zone types:

Construction zones evaluates four (4) different Zone types.

1. No-Go Polygon Zone: Polygons which must be excluded from all the construction.
2. No-Go Polylines: Polylines which should't be crossed during construction.
3. Polygon Zones: Zones that share a common set of costs or constrains.
4. Polyline Zones: Polylines which share a common set of constrains or crossing, embarkment or excavation costs. 

Now, we will include new features to our model to set them as construction zones.

Set features as construction zones:

To set features as construction zones, these features should be included in the Terrain file you are using for running Path Explorer tool.

You can insert these features by using the Insert File button located at the Home ribbon.  Common files to include may include KML/KMZ and Arcview Shapefiles. 

Press Insert File button and browse to find and select the file that contains the area to include as constrution zone. In this example, we will insert a Shapefile (.shp). Then hit OK.

Figure 3: Inserting a Shapefile.

You should have a result similar to Figure below.

Figure 4: Polygon inserted as a Shapefile into Terrain.

Now, note that although the polygon appears in Terrain, it is not included yet as a construction zone.

Select Optimization ribbon and press Construction Zones button.

The dialog below will be prompted:

Figure 5: Construction Zone Parameters dialog.

Press New... and use the drop-down list to select No-Go Polygons.

Figure 6: New Construction Zone Set dialog.

Press OK button.

Figure 7: No-Go Polygon feature selected.

Scroll to find and Select the feature that will be included as a No-Go Zone and Press OK twice to apply changes.

Running Path Explorer AI again with the same parameters we set before, we will get the following result.

Figure 8: Path Explorer features avoiding a No-Go Polygon.

Setting a block boundary

In some cases, projects may require setting a boundary where to search the paths. In that order of ideas, it may save a few clicks, rather than creating a donut or a polygon that almost encloses the block, you could use the block boundary as a no-go polyline.  Despite it being a polygonal feature, you can still use it’s boundary as a polyline. 
 

Figure 9: Boundary feature for Path Explorer.

Construction Zones close to Start/End points.

I’s worth noting that there is a zone around feature extents that interact with the resolution used in the algorithm.  If your Start/End point is on or within the resolution of your no-go feature it may see that as being in a no-go zone.  The trick here is to adjust the boundary a bit so it has room to start.