“A bargain ain't a bargain unless it's something you need.” - Sidney Carroll

Repeat GIS Project #2, however in this application, use the ArcGIS ArcToolbox command Analyst Tool → Proximity → Multiple Ring Buffer to generate 20 buffered areas at one mile intervals out to 20 miles from the construction site and then use the command Analyst Tool → Overly → Identity to measure the distances from the University of Memphis Construction site to each material vendor. Compare the distances with those measured manually with ArcGIS Measure tool.

Use the spreadsheet developed GIS Project #2 to calculation of the total cost of delivered materials. Compute the total cost of delivered materials required to make 1,500 yd³ of concrete with a mix ratio of 1:1:2 with a w/c ratio of 0.4 (assume that concrete weight 150 lbs/ft³).

Next, use the ArcGIS concrete material database (Concrete_materials) to estimate the distance from each material vendor to the Engineering Science Building (the delivery point) and collect data for unit cost ($/ton/mile) and inventory volume (tons) for each concrete material. With data for unit cost, volume, and delivery distance for each material, estimate the minimum delivery cost for the required concrete materials. The total cost of each delivered material may be estimated as:

Total Cost ($) = Unit Cost ($/ton/mile) x Volume (tons) x Distance (miles)

For convenience, vendors require the estimated delivery distance to be rounded up to the next mile (for example, 5.24 miles is 6 miles). Also, note that if one vendor cannot supply all the material, several vendors may be used. For simplicity, compute the minimum cost for each material and then add the results together to estimate the minimum total cost.

1. Open the ArcMap file you developed for GIS Project #2 that contains the concrete materials and the construction site databases and save it as GIS Project #3:
   
   
   
    

2. Review the attribute table for the Materials layer by right-clicking on the Materials layer in the Table of Contents and then click on Open Attribute Table.
   
   
   
    

3. Instead of manually measuring the distances between each vendor and the University of Memphis (as we did in GIS Project #2), use the ArcGIS ArcToolbox command Analyst Tool → Proximity → Multiple Ring Buffer to generate 20 buffered areas at one mile intervals out to 20 miles from the construction site.
   
   
   
    

4. In the Multiple Ring Buffer window, shown below, make the following entries:

   1. Select Construction_site as the Input feature.

   2. Take note of the name of the Output Feature class and where it will be located: Default.gdb\Construction_site_MultipleRing

   3. Change the Buffer Unit to miles by using the pull-down menu on the right side of the input line.

   4. Manually enter the distance of each buffer on the Distances input line and then click the button.

   5. Repeat this process and enter the distances 1 through 20 miles.
      
      
      
       

5. This computation can take a few minutes. While ArcGIS is working, a banner will appear along the bottom edge of the window and run while the computation is active.
   
   
   
   
    

6. After the Multiple Ring Buffer has finished you should see a series of rings around the construction site at 1 mile intervals.
   
   
   
    

7. Double click on the Construction_site_MultipleRing layer and select the Symbology tab of the Layer Properties window and select Features in the Show menu on the right side of the window.
   
   
   
    

8. Click on the Symbol color box and change the Fill Color and Outline Color values on the Symbol Selector window. Probably a bright outline color and no fill color would be best.
   
   
   
   
   
    

9. Use the command Analyst Tool → Overly → Identity to measure the distances from the University of Memphis Construction site to each material vendor.
   
   
   
    

10. In the Identity window choose the Materials layer as the Input Feature and the Construction_site_MultipleRing buffer as the Identity Features and click OK. Note the name and location of the Output Feature Class: Default.gdb\Materials_Identity
    
    
    
     

11. After Identity runs, a new layer is added to your map: Materials_Identity. Right-click on the Materials_Identity layer in the Table of Contents and click on Open Attribute Table. You should notice that there are additional data in the table, in particular a new field called Distance.
     

12. Export this database to an Excel file by clicking on the Table Options (top-right button on the Table window) and then on Export.
     

13. Update your distance measurements in the GIS Project #2 Excel spreadsheet. If a vendor has multiple entries in the Distance field of the Materials_Identity table, use the large of the two values.
     

14. Using the following  equation: Total Cost ($) = Unit Cost ($/ton/mile) x Volume (tons) x Distance (miles) compute the cost for each vendor to deliver material.
     
15. Use your spreadsheet to estimate the minimum cost to supply the required materials for 1,500 yd³ of concrete.
     

16. Print out the coversheet and a copy of your spreadsheet. 

Print coversheet for homework

This website was originally developed by Charles Camp for CIVL 1101.
This site is Maintained by the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Memphis.
Your comments and questions are welcomed.