Integration of GIS and transportain analysis : an interface between ARC/INFO and FIELDS

Integrating an existing transportation analysis package and a commercial Geographic Information System (GIS) is an efficient approach to enhance the analytical capabilities of transportation modeling software and extend the use of a GIS. This thesis presents an integrating system that links a stand-alone transportation package, the Food for Peace Inland Emergency Logistics and Distribution Simulation System (FIELDS), with a commercial GIS package, ARC/INFO. The thesis explores the major components of the integrating system, including data transfer, display function, and user interface. In particular, a menu-driven interface for use in the ARC/INFO environment is developed. Through the interface, users can easily implement the integration of the GIS and the transportation analysis modeling package.