Interoperability Issues for Underground Utilities

Abstract

Interoperability issues arise when utility managers want to use both geographical information systems (GIS) and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) for asset management. During summer 2003, the author evaluated the interoperability of CADD and GIS using a case study of the complex subsurface utility systems at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The evaluation included testing the CADD and GIS models and interviewing potential users and developers of the data. The evaluation concluded that the facility’s current approach to using spatial data should be modified with the result that the CADD and GIS are considered an integrated and interoperable system: The GIS supports the spatial analysis and the CADD supports the spatial model. Other issues include the choice of software, the accuracy of the spatial model, and various best management practices for spatial model development from legacy data.

Keywords

interoperability GIS CADD utilities legacy

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