How to Perform Vector Data Site Selection/Suitability Analysis in ArcGIS? A Complete Tutorial.

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on performing vector data site selection and suitability analysis using ArcGIS. It is particularly useful for professionals in fields such as urban planning, environmental science, and public health, as it helps in identifying optimal sites based on various geographic and spatial criteria.

Step 1: Load and Explore Data in ArcMap

• Download the necessary data from here.
• Open ArcMap and load the downloaded data.
• Familiarize yourself with the data layers available by exploring their attributes and visual representations.

Step 2: Perform Spatial Join

• Conduct a spatial join to count the number of dams within each polygon.
• In ArcMap, navigate to the "ArcToolbox" and find the "Spatial Join" tool.
• Set the target features (polygons) and join features (dams).
• Choose the appropriate spatial relationship, such as "within" to get the count.

Step 3: Select Area of Interest

• Use the "Select by Attribute" tool to define your area of interest (AOI).
• Go to the "Selection" menu, then "Select by Attribute."
• Create a query to specify the conditions for your AOI. For example:

  "Area" > 1000
  

Step 4: Select Features by Location

• To select features that are completely within the AOI, use the "Select by Location" tool.
• In the "Selection" menu, choose "Select by Location."
• Set the target layer to your features (e.g., dams) and the source layer as your AOI.

Step 5: Intersect Features with AOI

• For features that intersect with the AOI, repeat the selection process.
• Again, use "Select by Location" and adjust the selection type to "intersect."

Step 6: Filter by Attribute

• To narrow down your results further, select specific road types.
• Use "Select by Attribute" again, creating a query such as:

  "Road_Type" = 'Type 2'
  

Step 7: Merge Line Features

• If you have multiple line features that need to be combined, utilize the "Merge" tool.
• Select the features you wish to merge, right-click, and choose "Merge."

Step 8: Create Buffers

• Create buffers around important features such as roads, rails, airports, and dams.
• Use the "Buffer" tool found in "ArcToolbox."
• Specify the distance for each buffer based on your analysis needs.

Step 9: Perform Union Analysis

• Use the "Union" tool to combine multiple layers.
• This will help you overlay various criteria to identify suitable sites.

Step 10: Erase Unwanted Areas

• To refine your analysis, use the "Erase" tool to remove areas that are not suitable.
• Select the areas you want to erase from your analysis layer.

Step 11: Clip Analysis

• Use the "Clip" tool to focus your analysis on a specific area.
• Set your analysis layer as the input and the AOI as the clipping feature.

Step 12: Verification and Creation of Suitable Sites

• After completing the analysis, verify the results by reviewing the selected features.
• Create a new layer that represents the suitable sites based on your criteria.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to conduct a vector data site selection and suitability analysis in ArcGIS. By following these steps, you can effectively identify optimal sites based on various spatial criteria. Explore further applications of this analysis in your specific field to enhance decision-making and planning processes.