Introduction to Pathfinder

Pathfinder is a decision support system which implements a proven methodology to optimize the location and routing of infrastructure elements taking into account spatial and cost constraints.

The Pathfinder methodology

The following diagram describes the typical steps followed with Pathfinder.

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  1. In a first step, relevant Spatial Data, representing important land features for the routing, are identified and imported into the application. A project is created for a specific study area.

  2. Then, spatial data layers are assigned parameters representing their suitability of being crossed or hosting the infrastructure (e.g. power plants, power lines). These parameters are called Resistance Values and take into account regulations, constraints and other planning constraints. The resistance values define how suitable an area (forest, residential area, water bodies etc.) is for the location of the infrastructure (e.g. being crossed by powerlines and their pylons). Multiple scenarios can be defined with different resistance values and weights.

  3. Based on these scenarios, Pathfinder runs a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to calculate the Resistance Map for the entire planning area.

  4. The Resistance Map is the basis for Pathfinder to identify automatically possible optimal sites, corridors and paths within the planning area.

  5. Additionally, 3D Visualizations and various forms of analytics and cost calculation can be used for discussion, decision making, stakeholder engagement and reporting purposes. The optimal paths and analysis results can be then exported to be used in other software.

Where to start?

First, understand the different user roles and their permissions. You can find out your user role in the profile page.

Start using Pathfinder by opening an existing sample project or creating a new one.

You can also follow our tutorial videos.



Disclaimer: the scenarios depicted in this manual do not represent actual customer projects or infrastructure proposals, and are presented for demonstration purposes only.

For more help, please use the help chat in the application, or contact Gilytics.