Multimodal utility networks

[ThomasBecker2]

Hi,

i am a newbie here and not a specialist on ArcGIS. So i am not really sure, whether i am right here or not but i have a special problem which is dedicated to utility networks. In order to propagate cascading effects in a crisis scenario i am trying to create a multimodal utility network. In order to do this i would like to create a logical connection between objects of network A and of network B. Is this possible by creating a geometric network? Or is there any other possibility to create the linkage between two networks except creating a street network?

[AlexeyTereshenkov]

Hi Thomas,

With network datasets, it is possible to incorporate multimodal systems through the connectivity groups principle. Geometric networks, though, do not support multimodal systems at all.

Please refer to this good podcase transcript for getting a general idea on networks in ArcGIS:
http://www.esri.com/news/podcasts/transcripts/arcgisnetworkanalyst_networksandnetworkmodels.pdf

Good luck!

[ThomasBecker2]

Hi,

many many thanks for the answers. The differences between the Network Datasets and geometric networks are clear know. My intention was to find a backdoor in order to be able to simulate cascading effects in geometric networks. The point is, that i need the possibility to create Complex edges and Junctions as well as the possibility to link completely different networks to each other (multi-modal). That means for example a pump in a water network needs a power supply from power network. I am trying to find a solution for the linkage of these objects (logically) and the possibly use of the analyse tools.

Now it seems to me that my feeling about this stuff was right, that this whole stuff is not possible using the ESRI network (datasets and geometric) and that i have to create things on my own.

Regards

Thomas