Utilizing GIS for effective datamodel design at the NWU Potchefstroom Campus

Thesis (M.Sc. (Geography and Environmental Studies))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Record keeping and management of electrical utilities inside buildings is an important aspect to ensure effective electrical distribution. The ability to find the location of each electrical feature inside a building and extract information about it helps to solve network problems faster. The use of a spatial database structure facilitates the maintenance and general operations of an electrical network across different buildings. The aim of this study is to design and develop a 3D data model to provide a management system for electrical utilities inside buildings. The geodatabase provides integrated information between different electrical components forming the network inside the specified buildings in the study area. A prototype called the PUK geodatabase was designed and developed for the NWU Potchefstroom Campus as a 3D data model. The data model consists of raster and vector data used in network datasets, relationship classes and topology rules. The aim of this project was accomplished through the 3D analysis capabilities of the model. The research determined that the prototype called the PUK geodatabase can be utilized as a 3D management system for electrical utilities across the different floor levels of a building.

Masters